Flowers of stone
by Tinzi
Summary: A stranger comes to San Francisco, he looks like Cole, but he has lost his memory. How will the Halliwells deal with this situation? Last Chapter!
1. Default Chapter

I wrote this story last spring. Because I couldn´t believe what was happening in the show. I only wrote it for myself, but after I started to read a few stories here, I decided to publish it here, too. I started to translate it into English. I know, I´m not very good in it, especially in the beginnning, but I hope I´ll improve.  
  
I don´t know exactly what happened in the show after last spring, because I didn´t want to watch it anymore. Therefore there will be differences to my story, for example Leo is still there.  
  
It´s mainly about Phoebe and Cole but the others are in it too.  
  
By the way none of the Charmed characters belong to me. #############################################  
  
Flowers of stone  
  
Prolog  
  
It was a spring afternoon in Seattle, when Kevin Torrens went into his apartment for the last time. He watched the empty already eliminated rooms and sighed. He had lived here for nearly one year and now he didn't know if he had taken the right decision to settle to San Francisco.  
  
Nearly one year ago he found himself on a lonely road in Seattle without memory, without anything he could remember about his past. All his attempts to get to know more about his past got out unsuccessfully. Except a heap of money he couldn't find anything in his pockets, no document of identification, nothing that could refer to his identity. Perhaps he was an escaping criminal? Were his first thoughts, he noticed amused .  
  
Therefore he wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to go to the police station to ask for help. He better let it be. But he found out, that he was clever enough to find some other ways to get the information, if there was a missing person's report somewhere in the country. The answer was no, it seemed that nobody was looking for him. It was a little bit depressing for him, to know that there was nobody who missed him, that he didn't mean anything to anybody. But it wasn't much better to imagine that there was somebody, relatives, friends or even a family, who were absolutely despaired, because they did not hear anything of him even did not know if he was still alive. But he would have found a missing person's report, an advertising, what ever, so this possibility was improbable. It seemed that nobody wished desperately that he would turn up again.  
  
But he didn't know it exactly, because his memory hadn't done him a favour. No matter what he did to find out more about his former live, it wasn't important, how hart he tried, his past was still a mystery. It was enough to drive him mad, but nevertheless he shrunk back from going to a psychiatrist. He had his doubts, if they were more competent than he was. No, he wasn't despaired enough to go to a mind doctor. Although his friends constantly recommended him to go there, but Kevin didn't want to change his opinion about this profession. Sometimes he had the strange feeling, that he simply didn't want to know more about his former life, that it would be easier to lead a new life, without the whole ballast of the past. He was sure, that it'll work out somehow, as so far everything had worked out.  
  
The money, he had found, helped him over the first time. He could rent a cheap apartment and called himself Kevin Torrens. This name didn't mean anything to him. He chosed it purely by chance, he wanted to use it only as long as he would know his real name again. And according to him, this name wouldn't exist for a long time. But the reality was different.  
  
After that he paid attention to find out whether he was a criminal, a victim of a crime, an insane person or simply a missing. But he couldn't find anything that could refer to his identity. But although his work was not crowned with success, he enjoyed investigations. He liked it to out- cheat people in order to get informations and he felt superior with this work. This was completely his profession.  
  
As luck would have it his neighbours Peter and Helen worked for a prestigious newspaper. He was a photograph and she was a journalist at the Daylight Express. The three met inevitable, because they lived next door to each other. They liked each other from the first moment. Helen was fascinated of Kevins history and wanted it gladly to write an article about it. But due to Kevins panic to be exposed as a criminal, and go into the prison, he told her that he didn't want to read anything about his private life in the newspaper. He wanted to life in peace. Helen understood it and she dropped the idea.  
  
But when she had to write her next reports, Kevin was very useful. He helped her with the investigations and Helen was surprised about his talent. She made it possible for him to get a job at the Daylight Express. He was particularly interested in reports which could become dangerous, like reports about all kind of crimes or mysterious cases. He liked the determinations in such cases and it gave him a good feeling, when he could help to solve such a case.  
  
In time he sometimes nearly forgot the fact that he didn't know who he was and he tried to live a normal life. His memories would come back whenever it suits. Everybody around him told that and finally he began to believe it. But nevertheless he was too curious and again and again he finally wished to know who he was and whether he lived a lie.  
  
The offer of the publishing house to transfer the three friends to San Francisco came suddenly. A new branch of the Daylight Express should be developed there and Kevin, Helen and Peter received the offer to go along. Kevin wasn't sure, whether he was the right man to go there. But when he heard of the many mysterious affairs in and around San Francisco, he was all for going there.  
  
And now it was ready, everything was prepared, the removal perfect. The apartments were ready for occupation. And suddenly Kevin had the stupid feeling that it was an error, something told him, that it would be better to stay away from San Francisco. But this danger also attracted him somehow.  
  
Thus he breathed deeply, pushed his concerns aside and set off to the airport. Let's go, there was a new world, a new adventure, perhaps he would find something in the new city, that could help his memories along.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
In a cafe in San Francisco Kevin and Peter took a break from work and talked about their first reports which hadn't been very interesting, even more stupid.  
  
"And does Helen like it here? Has she already settled in?" Kevin asked his friend "I haven't seen her for a while."  
  
"It's the same with us, a lot of work and less time for something else. We even couldn't see the sights yet. To work for a new established newspaper is really hard." Peter groaned.  
  
"You're telling me? And the reports haven't been very captivating yet." Kevin agreed.  
  
"Perhaps we should have stayed in Seattle."  
  
"Peter where is your adventurous spirit? Everything will be alright."  
  
"Let's hope it works out like that, so far I am not very inspired. In Seattle everything was alright, we haven't had any problems. How could they talked us into going to a new town." Peter meant and screwed up his face.  
  
"I don't know why, but I like it here, and at least the weather is better." Kevin smiled, "and, I have the special feeling, that something will happen soon."  
  
"Do you mean regarding to your memory? Do you already remember anything?" Peter asked surprised.  
  
Kevin didn't like it, to be asked about his amnesia again and again. Of course he hadn't found out anything in the new town, what could help him to remember. "No" he said with a drawl. "Let us go." he meant and stood up from the table.  
  
Peter felt that his friend was angry and he knew that in this mood it was the best thing not to disturb him. Kevin always enraged, when someone reminded him of the fact that he didn't know anything of his former life. It got him down, that he couldn't find a simple clue for the start.  
  
Lost in thoughts they went to the door, when a young woman came towards them at the exit. She freezed and stopped. She stared at Kevin and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. "But that ... that is impossible, Cole????" she asked.  
  
"What? Do you really know me?" Kevin looked surprised at the woman. Could it be possible, that he finally found anybody who knew him. He hardly didn't dare to believe it.  
  
But in the next moment, the woman was gone. She rushed towards the door like a maniac and disappeared. Kevin run after her. Finally he found a connection to his past, he wouldn't dare to loose it. Even if the woman had looked frightened, he would have worried about it later.  
  
When he run around a corner, he saw her again. "Wait, wait please!" he yelled. But the woman tried to escape further. Silly bitch, he thought. Couldn't she answer a simple question, that wasn't an unreasonable demand, was it? Finally he came closer and could take her shoulder.  
  
Hectically she turned around and screamed "Let me go! Don't dare you!" her eyes flashed fire. Kevin let her go immediately and showed his hands to calm her down, because some people on the street already had stopped and looked at them curiously.  
  
"I'm sorry." he told her quickly. "But excuse me, I only want to know, if you know me. You called me Carl, haven't you? So it seems like you know me ..." while he was talking, the woman looked around. She didn't want to attract attention, she only wanted to escape as inconspicuously as possible. The people on the street luckily weren't very interested anymore and minded their own business. Now she only needed to find a way to escape. She was absolutly confused. She couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true, could it? No, it was impossible, not again.  
  
"Hello?" Kevin got her out of her thoughts and looked at her expectantly. She noticed, that she didn't take a close look at him and didn't listen as well. Now she looked at him and noticed that he looked different than the last time, she saw him. The last time and the time before, she really didn't want to remember it. He looked quite normal, neither crazy nor demonic, but that could deceive. What did he say? He didn't know who he is? That was all rubbish, did he think she was stupid? She thought. Okay, he really looked at her unsuspecting, but she wouldn't let him make a fool of her.  
  
"You're not serious." were the only words she said in a choked voice.  
  
"Really!" he tried to convince her. "I can't remember my past. And I am already searching for a long time for someone who knows me. So, if you know me, I'll be really grateful. No matter that you aren't very impressed to see me again, as it seems." Kevin said with a little smile.  
  
"Listen," she said."You've got me wrong. You look like a person I knew, but I thought he is dead. So it was a shock for me to meet somebody, who looks like him. I am sorry, but I can't help you." No matter whether she believed it, or not, she wanted to go as soon as possible. She needed time to think about it. She wanted to talk to Piper, she would know what to do. Under no circumstances she wanted that Phoebe would be told about it. But the young man didn't give up."I understand that you are shocked for the moment, but perhaps you'll remember something interesting for me. Could you please give me your phone number and I'll call you later. I don't want to be importunate, but..."  
  
"I am really sorry, but I have to go, I have a date and I am already late." she said and ignored the question about the phone number.  
  
"I don't want to chat you up, but please take my business card. Then you could call me, when you'll feel better." Kevin searched in his pockets for the card, but remembered, that the new newspaper hadn't printed it yet. But he didn't want that the woman would go without his address or phone number. He looked along the street and saw Peter not far away. He gave him a sign to come closer. Paige watched the whole action suspiciously, his smile, when he had searched for the card reminded her of Cole strongly. Finally Peter approached and Kevin asked him for a piece of paper and a pen. With an uneasy smile, he tried to explain Paige, that they were new in town and didn't have business cards yet.  
  
"Okay, here is my address and my phone number, please call me, when you'll remember something. Or if you simply wanted to talk, I would be very thankful." Kevin said and gave her the slip of paper with his most friendly smile. But the woman was immune to it.  
  
"I don't know what I am supposed to do with it. But if you absolutely want it." Paige took the note reluctantly. "Okay" she said and escaped as soon as possible.  
  
Kevin watched her go. Peter stepped beside him. "Wow, you weren't very successful with her." "Mm, I think she knows who I am." Kevin said thoughtfully.  
  
"Okay, but I have my doubts, that she'll tell you something. Let us go." Peter turned around and went to the car. Kevin looked back for the last time, but the womanhad already disappeared. He even didn't know her name. He didn't understand why she had been so unfriendly to him. Even if he wasn't this Carl, this woman had a secret. And he would solve it. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
That is simply impossible, why is this guy never dead, this thoughts passed Paige's head, when she drove to the Halliwell Manor, as fast as possible. It bordered on the miraculous, that she reached the house without causing an accident. She rushed into the house and looked for Piper, who was in the kitchen. "You won't believe it, but I just met a ghost." Paige breathlessly told her sister.  
  
"What do you mean?" Piper asked astonished.  
  
Paige looked around "Is Phoebe there?" she remembered.  
  
Her sister looked at her alarmed."Yes, she is upstairs. She wants to go to a charity ball with Philip tonight. Why? Is a new demon in town? Oh, she won't like it."  
  
"I won't call him new." Paige muttered, when Phoebe came downstairs.  
  
"What do I look like?" she asked.  
  
"Phoebe, perhaps you could forget the charity ball, Paige already wanted to tell us about a new ..."  
  
"Cafe" Paige interrupted her. "I wanted to tell you about a new cafe, which opened today. But it isn't so good that we have to go there today. You can go to your charity ball, if you want, no problem."  
  
Piper looked over to her sister irritated. But to be at the safe side, she didn't say a word.  
  
"Okay, fine. It isn't the greatest pleasure for me to go there, but this ball is very important for Philip. His boss will be there and all this boring important people. I don't know, why this people always must be so uninteresting." Phoebe pulled a face.  
  
"And what happened to you, what dress do you wear?" Paige asked and looked at the simple black high-necked evening dress.  
  
"It's a charity ball, you know and that means for Philip, don't make a bad impression. He thinks that dress is proper for a grown-up woman, like me." Phoebe laughed.  
  
"Okay, from his point of view. But this dress isn't just like you."  
  
"I know but perhaps my wild times are finally over, so sweeties, have a nice evening, I'll wait outside the door, you know...."  
  
"Yes, we know, inside it's too disorganized for Philip. So what, have a lot of fun tonight."  
  
The three listened that a car drove up in front of the house and Phoebe slipped through the door.  
  
"Mm" Piper said and shook her head. "Nothing will come out of this two."  
  
"Yes unfortunately." Paige agreed. But then she remembered her experience in the cafe and she added. "Perhaps we should help a little bit."  
  
"Why that? That is simply and solely Phoebes business. I really want to keep out of her love life." Piper said. "Perhaps you'll change your mind, when you have listened of my extraordinary encounter today."  
  
"Start to tell me. As it seems you wanted to get rid of Phoebe, so she's gone. What has happened?" Piper looked at her sister curiously and nervously.  
  
"You better sit down, I also don't understand it, perhaps I had a hallucination. But today in the cafe, I suddenly was faced with Cole." Paige said apologetically.  
  
"Cole?" Piper asked surprised. "But that's impossible. He is dead for more than a year. Or did I understand anything wrong?"  
  
"No, you are right, but perhaps dead doesn't mean a lot, we are talking about Cole."  
  
"Oh, my god, that can't be true, are you really sure? What did he say?" Piper didn't want to imagine what it could mean, when he was still alive. How dangerous it could be for her family.  
  
"It was really strange. He was pretending, that he didn't know me. He driveled that he has a loss of memory, or something like that. I was so shocked that I didn't listen very carefully. I was scared."  
  
"Amnesia, he really meant it, or did he want to play a demonic game?" Piper asked.  
  
"I really don't know. I also can't tell you that it was really Cole by hundred percent. I mean it is said, that every human has a double, perhaps every demon, too." Paige said doubting.  
  
"I don't know, that would be too good to be true. But amnesia ..." they looked at each other.  
  
"We have to find out what's behind it, Paige. Before Phoebe will find something out about it."  
  
"Or she'll run into him" Paige took the note she had put in her pocket. "He gave me this piece of paper, so I can call him, when I remember something." she told Piper in an ironical tone.  
  
Piper took the paper and started to read. "Kevin Torrens" she said. "An address and a phone number." "Do you know Cole's handwriting?" Paige asked her.  
  
"What are you thinking about? How should I know his handwriting?"  
  
"I just thought it could be possible. Hadn't he written a letter to Phoebe?" she considered. "Yes," she remembered "when he died as the Source he left a letter."  
  
"I won't rummage in Phoebes belongings only to compare the handwritings." Paige answered furious.  
  
"No you'll have to grasp the nettle. You'll meet him again." She could see Paige's opinion about this proposal.  
  
"You have to sound him off about what he really knows and what he wants. You simply have to find out who he really is."  
  
"Wonderful, that could be dangerous."  
  
"Not when you'll met him on a public place with a lot of people around, nothing will happen then. But if it's really Cole and he has really lost his memory. Don't give him a clue for recovering." Piper urged her sister.  
  
"Do you really think that is necessary? I mean perhaps we still have something of this vanquishing potion, we could use it and ..."  
  
"And if it's really anybody else?"  
  
"Nothing will happen, he won't die."  
  
"Sorry Paige, but the potion is out. And I am really curious what it's all about. Why and how does he survive. Aren't you interested in it?"  
  
"Okay, give me the phone ..."  
  
At the same time on the other side of San Francisco, Kevin went into the kitchen of Helens and Peters apartment. "What a nice smell, did you cook yourself?"  
  
"What are you talking about. I bought it from the Italian restaurant around the corner. At the moment I really don't have any time or desire for cooking." Helen laughed. "And remember, Peter is the cook here." She took the plates and went to the living room, where Peter was already sitting. Kevin followed her.  
  
When they had already started to eat, Peter remembered. "Did Kevin already tell you about his crazy meeting today, Helen"  
  
"What meeting?" she asked and looked curiously at Kevin.  
  
He wasn't keen on talking about it and looked above. But then he finally told Helen the story about the woman in the cafe.  
  
"And she simply ran away?" Helen asked surprised.  
  
"Yes his charm didn't work, it was really hard for him." Peter told sneering.  
  
"Very funny, but no, to be serious, if I am really this Carl, she won't be very impressed to see me again." "Cole, she called you Cole, not Carl." Peter meant.  
  
"Cole or Carl, that doesn't make any difference. She knows something about me. And I'll find out what it is." Kevin told them self-satisfied and fold his arms.  
  
"Do you know her name or her address?" Helen asked.  
  
"No, but she knows mine and she'll call." he said.  
  
Helen and Peter looked at each other suspiciously. "Okay, when you say that."  
  
Kevin noticed that they didn't believe that the woman would call. And he had his doubts, too, but he wouldn't tell them. He know that it would border on the miraculous, if she called. But he didn't want to give up his hope. He finally found a small piece that could help him to get back his memory and he didn't want to loose it again. And if he had to search for the woman in the whole town, he would do it, he thought.  
  
"Perhaps it would be better, if she didn't call." Peter mentioned. "I mean do you really want to be this guy, the young woman hates so much? Have you seen her eyes?" he asked.  
  
"You don't understand it. It's driving you spare, that you don't know who you are. Even if I did anything bad to this woman in former times, I would like to know it. The reality can't be worse than the horror stories about my past I think up sometimes." he told them convinced.  
  
"Sure, you are right. And like we know you from the last year, there won't be any worse revelations about you." Helen said.  
  
"Oh, I could imagine a lot," Peter mentioned with a smile.  
  
"Yes? And what?"  
  
Peter didn't have to answer, because in this moment Kevins handy was ringing. He took it from the table and answered the phone. "Hello?"  
  
It was a young woman, who called, and her name was Paige.  
  
"Paige?" Kevin asked.  
  
"Yes" she answered annoyed. "The woman from the cafe, you gave me your telephone number, do you remember?"She couldn't believe that this idiot didn't know who she was.  
  
"Yes, of course, I am really glad to hear from you. I feared you wouldn't call. Thanks again, I even didn't know your name.."  
  
"Yeah, it's okay," Paige interrupted him. "I don't know why, but I think I owe it to you to meet you again. We could have breakfast together, what's about tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock?" She wanted to get the date over and done as soon as possible."Does that suit you?" she added.  
  
"Yes, no problem, I can arrange it." he said surprised.  
  
"Okay until tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock in the same cafe as today."  
  
Before Kevin could answer, she already had hanged up. Still surprised he listened to the noise in the phone. That was really strange, he thought. With a gloating look at his friends, he told them "I already told you, that she would call. We'll meet tomorrow morning." 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Next morning when the Halliwells were sitting at the breakfast table, Paige followed her thoughts. Meanwhile Phoebe told them about the charity ball. It had been as boring as she had feared. The only interesting event was, when she had spilled mistakenly wine on the dress of the wife of one of Philips superiors. Phoebe thought it was really funny, but Philips opinion was absolut different.  
  
When Paige remembered her meeting today, she wished that Phoebe and Philip would come together, no matter what she thought about him, he was much better than this Cole, who rose from his ashes. So did't say anything bad about Philip, she impressed herself. "It really isn't very useful for his career, when the wife of his boss got wine on her dress." she said.  
  
"For heaven's sake Paige, what happened to you? The silly old cow has deserved it. And it wasn't Philip's boss, it was just such a big shot of the building authorities. He didn't know me, neither Philip."  
  
"But now he knows you." Piper threw in.  
  
"Yes, and perhaps it's useful, to attract attention." Phoebe answered satisfied.  
  
"But certainly not this attention."  
  
"Oh no, what's the matter? You're in a really bad mood today, I'll better go to work." Phoebe stood up and disappeared.  
  
When she was gone, Piper looked at Paige. "Everything will be alright." she tried to calm her down.  
  
"Yes I know, but nevertheless I have a strange feeling. You know, I sometimes took part to wipe him out. Hopefully he doesn't want revenge. It would be horrific, if the whole rubbish started again."  
  
"That won't happen!"  
  
"You're right, we need a little bit optimism. Perhaps I only mistook him. That would be so great." Paige wanted to believe it. She stood up and left the house to drive to the cafe.  
  
Kevin arrived at the cafe earlier. He had found a seat, where he could watch out of the window. He saw the street and waited curiously for the strange woman. He didn't know, what he could expect, hopefully this meeting could shed light on his past. Still lost in thoughts, he saw the young woman. She went uncertain to the cafe, and it was obvious, that she would prefer to turn back into the other direction. She took a deep breath and opened the door. When she saw him, she went straight to him. Kevin stood up and held his hand out towards her. She took it with reluctance.  
  
"Good morning, I'm glad to see you. Do you want a coffee?" he asked and called for the waitress.  
  
"A cup of coffee please." Paige ordered.  
  
When the waitress disappeared, Kevin looked at the young woman. "So Miss..."  
  
"Paige, you can call me Paige."  
  
Kevin smirked, it was obvious, that she didn't want to tell him her surname. "Okay, Paige, like I already tried to tell you yesterday, I've lost my memory and I'm searching for somebody who knows me. And as it seems, I have finally succeeded." he expectantly looked at her.  
  
"Sorry, but I don't think that I can help you. You see, only from the first sight I thought that you are somebody I knew. But that isn't the case." she tried to explain.  
  
"And you are absolutely sure? Yesterday you called me Carl."  
  
Paige didn't know, if he really wanted to send her up, yes, of course, Carl. Did he really think that she was so stupid, she thought. She had to find a way to find it out. "So we should start to talk about you, of course you don't have anything to hide."  
  
Nothing to hide? What did she mean? There was something wrong here, he knew it. But if she liked it, okay, he really had nothing to hide, even if she believed it. "No, I have nothing to hide. It had happened in January more than one year ago. I was in Seattle on a road and I didn't know who or where I'm. I even didn't know what I wanted there. I couldn't remember anything, listen, it isn't very pleasant to talk about it with a stranger."  
  
"But I should help you, so..."  
  
Yes, and you already told me, that I'm not the person, you know, Kevin thought, but didn't say it loud. "There isn't much more to tell. There wasn't a missing person's report anywhere in the country. Nevertheless I tried everything to get my memory back, but unfortunately I didn't succeed." he told her with a sad smile.  
  
"And why do you live in San Francisco now?" she asked.  
  
"My newspaper sent me. The Daylight Express wants to develop a new branch here and they needed the best people." he smirked.  
  
"You are a journalist?" she asked shocked.  
  
"Yes, why? Is your Carl a journalist, too."  
  
"No, he wasn't. And do you like it here?" she tried to digress from the subject Cole.  
  
"Yes, I like it, but I haven't already settled totally. But the weather is much better."  
  
"Oh, you plan to stay for a longer term?" she didn't want to sound too disappointed, but it didn't work.  
  
Kevin barely tried not to laugh. "Yes I think so." He loved to tell her. "It's a big challenge to build up a new newspaper, and at the moment there are still some problems. But I like challenges, a new town, new people, that's great. I have never really felt at home in Seattle."  
  
"And you feel like home here?" Paige didn't want to hear the answer.  
  
"At home? Not yet. But I like it much more than Seattle."  
  
"And in San Francisco is there anything familiar for you? I mean do you remember anything?" Paige noticed immediately that it was a bad idea to ask this question. It was too conspicuous, wasn't it?  
  
Kevin had to smile again. "You want to grill me, am I right?"  
  
"No, what are you thinking?"  
  
"Don't look like I caught you. You have forgotten, that I'm an expert." he told her confidentially.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, but you ... it didn't work. You already haven't told me anything about you or about your friend."  
  
"So it is, everybody finds his match" Paige looked at him provocatively, but it seemed that he liked the whole situation.  
  
"Yes, you are probably right. And unfortunately I can't read your mind." Kevin said regretting.  
  
I'm not so sure about that, Paige thought angrily. "Listen, I'm really sorry, but I can't help you. You aren't this person." she told him.  
  
"But why are you so sure. It seems that you haven't seen your friend for quite a while."  
  
"You are right, luckily I haven't. And he wasn't my friend."  
  
"So you can't be sure, that it's not me."  
  
"I'm sure that you don't want to be it." she told him.  
  
"But you don't understand, it would be better to be..." Kevin searched for the right word. "an idiot, than your past is only a black hole." he tried to convince her to tell him more. He wanted to know what was all about. He looked at her imploring, usually that worked with most people, especially women.  
  
But it didn't work again with Paige. She supposed to know, that he really lost his memory, no matter if he was Cole or somebody else, she didn't want to give him the clue to remember. But she had to put him off trying to find out more about Carl or her family. She didn't want him to run after them again. She made the decision to tell him a kind of truth. "It is really simple, you can't be him, because he is dead. I'm really sorry, but I was there, he is stone dead. That was the reason, why I was so frightened, when I saw you the first time. I have thought, that I see a ghost. Do you understand me now?" she hoped she could convince him. Kevin looked at her skeptically. There was something wrong, he knew it. She neither had told him her real name nor the name of his would-be look- alike. And he had his doubts if this guy was really dead. "Please tell me at least the name of your friend..."  
  
"That won't be any use, let the dead rest in peace." she told him determinately.  
  
"But perhaps, he isn't really dead, perhaps you are wrong, perhaps he rose from the dead..."  
  
As if stung by an adder, Paige jumped up. He really made a fool of her. Furiously she hissed. "Don't dare you. I'm warning you, Cole stay away. Don't try to play your games again. We already have vanquished you, and we'll do it again, and this time for the last time finally, I promise." She turned around and rushed to the door. Than she was gone.  
  
"Wonderful!" that was really a very successful meeting. Kevin was absolutely surprised about Paige's sudden departure. He didn't know, what he had said to drive her up the wall. Really strange, but Peter was right she really called him Cole. He thought immediately. He called the waitress again to bring him another coffee. Great, he also had to pay her bill. She was really crazy, he was absolutely confused.  
  
Quarter of an hour later, Peter arrived at the cafe and found his friend steering into his cup of coffee. He sat down and asked curiously."Hey, what has happened. Could she help you?"  
  
"No, but it was really strange. First she desperately tried to convince me that I'm not her old buddy," Kevin looked up. "He is dead, you have to know. And then after a joke, she jumped up, out of her mind and screamed, that she'll vanquish me again and this time for the last time, if I dare to come to close. Very nice. And you're right, she called me Cole, perhaps I'll have to go to an ear specialist." Kevin mused.  
  
"What did you say, to frighten her so much?"  
  
"I don't know, only a joke, that dead could rise from the ashes. Or something like that."  
  
"Yes, your jokes can be very special sometimes."  
  
"Come on, what's wrong about it? Only in case it is really me and she had killed me. And then she threw me into the ocean and there was the right stream, that I could be deposited in Seattle. Okay, then I could understand her reaction."  
  
"Do you really think that is possible?" Peter asked and looked at Kevin skeptically.  
  
"How should I know? But there is something in this matter, and this harmless intimidation won't stop me. I'll find out, what is going on. And Cole, Cole, that isn't a bad name, is it?"  
  
"I don't know, I think, you already should wait, until you change your business cards."  
  
Laughing they paid and left the cafe.  
  
Paige was still furious, when she arrived at the Halliwell Manor. In a hurry she opened the door and called for Piper. When she came, Paige already started to tell "It's really Cole, and it was all nonsense with his loss of memory. But I really don't understand what he has in mind. And why is he still alive?"  
  
"Calm down first and then start telling. Why are you so sure that it is really Cole?"  
  
"He was amused that dead can rise from death." Paige tried to convince her."  
  
"Perhaps he only talked nonsense." Piper said, but when she saw Paige's view, she sighed. "Okay, perhaps it's the right time to call for Leo."  
  
After she had called him, Piper's husband immediately appeared. "Piper, Paige, what's the matter?" he asked anxiously.  
  
"Cole is here again." Paige immediately told Leo, who was really shocked. "I also don't know, how he managed it this time. But I met him in real. And he had the cheek to pretend, that he didn't recognize me."  
  
"But that's impossible." Leo looked at his wife with horror in his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, we are thinking that, too. And that's the reason why we called you. Ask the Elders, if they can explain it." Piper asked her husband.  
  
"Yes, I think that's a good idea." he mentioned and disappeared immediately.  
  
In the meantime Paige sat down at the sofa, she looked at her watch and stood up again. "Damn it, Piper I have to go to work. I'll come back during my lunch break, Cole won't do anything now. And hopefully Leo will know more about this situation when he'll come back." She orbed into her office, because she was already late. In her office, Paige couldn't concentrate, she tried to read the report for the third time already. Her thoughts were still around the meeting and Cole or Kevin, or whoever he was. Did she overreact? Was it only a joke? She couldn't put two and two together.  
  
She stood up luckily, when it was finally time for her lunchbreak. She had a bad feeling about the things Leo could tell them, but it was also terrible, not to know the truth. Perhaps the poor Kevin who lost his memory felt the same, it flashed into her mind. She shook her head. That was really too stupid. But if it was really true?  
  
When she arrived at the manor, Leo was already there. "What's going on?" she asked curiously.  
  
"He didn't want to tell me anything. We had to wait for you." Piper told her in an angry tone.  
  
"So, what did you find out? You found out something, didn't you?" Paige looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Yes, but sit down first."  
  
They went into the living room and sat down. Leo looked at the sisters apologetically.  
  
"What happened? They made a mess of it again, haven't they?"  
  
"Piper, it isn't like that." Leo tried to calm down his wife. "I have good news and bad news."  
  
"Bad first." Piper said, expecting everything, but nothing good.  
  
"You are right Paige, it was really Cole." the sisters already wanted to bombard him with questions. But Leo gave them a sign to wait and listen first. "He isn't a demon anymore and he really can't remember anything of his past. And they told me, that he'll never remember anything again."  
  
"But why? How is it possible?"  
  
"Mm, the Elders thought that they owe him to give him a normal life." Leo started to explain carefully.  
  
"What? I think I hear wrong, they owe it to him? He nearly destroyed the world, he tried to kill us many times, he made life hell for us, he killed countless innocents... shall I continue?"  
  
"No Piper, you are right." Leo agreed. "But remember, he also saved your lives many times and he helped to save the world. Of course that doesn't excuse the other things, but don't you think that the demon inside him was responsible for most of it?"  
  
"Come on," Piper snorted.  
  
"Once you believed that, too." Leo pointed out.  
  
"That's a long time ago." Piper shook her head "That can't be true."  
  
"Unfortunately it is, I also can't understand it. But they had the opinion, that they should already have saved him, when he was a little boy, so that he would have had the chance to live a normal life."  
  
"But if he lived a normal life, he would be already dead." Piper considered. "And if it was really necessary, why didn't they send him back to earth as a baby? So that we wouldn't have any problems with him anymore?"  
  
"There wasn't a possibility. When they wanted to save him, they had to react very fast."  
  
"And they reacted without thinking, didn't they?" Piper asked, still very angry. "And what does it mean: he can't remember anything?"  
  
"He doesn't know what happened in his former life. He knows the world like a mortal. He doesn't know magic, witches, demons." Leo explained.  
  
They were calm for a while and tried to understand what Leo had told them. Paige tried to tackle the situation logically. "So, when we vanquished him, he turned up in Seattle without his memory, but as a mortal?"  
  
"Yes, the Elders didn't want him near to you. You shouldn't meet him again."  
  
"Really a good job!" Piper said ironically. "And what shall we do now?"  
  
The three looked at each other helplessly. "I don't want that Phoebe gets to know about it. We can't allow him, to find out something about us, much less that to meet Phoebe. Paige did you tell him anything about us?" Piper asked her sister.  
  
"What do you think about me, certainly not."  
  
"Okay, good, then we hopefully won't have a problem with him."  
  
Paige looked at her sister doubting. "I think there is a little problem, he told me, that he is a journalist now, and he was really desperate to find out who he really was."  
  
"I hoped it would be simple, only once. But no." Piper furiously sparkled on Leo. "And do they have a solution, what we shall do, if he coincidentally runs into us?"  
  
"I fear no. I already told you, that they didn't plan it. You shouldn't meet him and you even shouldn't know that he's still alive. They didn't want that you would have troubles with their decision." Leo excused. "But I'm confident that you'll find a solution." But after he watched his angry wife, he added "It isn't my fault."  
  
"Yes I know, I'm sorry, but I don't know, how to deal with this situation." She apologized.  
  
"I'm afraid, but I think I have to meet him once again. I fear I aroused his curiosity with my spectacular exit today. We'll have to find a way to get him off this subject." Paige told them.  
  
"You are right, but at the moment I don't have any idea, how."  
  
They thought about it for some time. And suddenly Paige had an idea, stick to the truth as close as possible. "Yes, I think I have found a way. Don't worry, if it doesn't work, we'll still have the possibility to create a new vanquishing potion." she said with a self-satisfied grin and orbed back to her office. There she searched for the note with his telephone number in the waste-paper basket. She hadn't planed to dial this number once again, but she had no choice.  
  
"Hello?" she heard Coles voice. "Hello, it's Paige again, do you remember?"  
  
"Yes, of course, it doesn't happen every day, that a woman threatened to vanquish me."  
  
Really funny, Paige thought and started to tell. "Yes, I'm sorry, but don't take it personal. I think I have to explain something to you."  
  
"Okay." Kevin decided to wait and see.  
  
"What do you think? Could we meet once again?" Paige said.  
  
"No problem, you just have to tell me, where and when."  
  
"Perhaps just tonight, if it is possible for you."  
  
"Yes, it is" he also wanted to meet her as soon as possible, he finally wanted to know what was behind it. Paige told him time and place and hanged up.  
  
Peter looked at his friend curiously, who looked thoughtfully."Was that your new girlfriend again?" he asked. "I wouldn't call her a friend. But yes, she was. It is really strange, she always gives me the brush-off and tells me that she knows nothing, and then she calls again."  
  
"And what did she want this time?"  
  
"She wants to meet me to explain me everything, whatever that may be. Until now she only gave me a grilling."  
  
"But you'll go there?"  
  
"Of course, what are you thinking?" Kevin said, but after a while he added. "I have an idea. Would you do me a favour?"  
  
"What is it this time?" Peter expected the worst.  
  
"I have never asked you to do anything terrible. Don't look this way, it's true. And this time it is really easy. I want you to follow her after our meeting. She probably won't tell me her name or address and I only want to have something to go by. I want to know, who she is and where she lives. Perhaps I can start to investigate finally." Kevin looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Okay, no problem. But I hope your rendezvous won't take a long time."  
  
"Like I already know this young lady, that won't happen." 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Paige orbed into an empty side street and went to the restaurant. She wanted to arrive early, because she had to think about the story she wanted to tell Cole. It was really strange, to imagine, that this young man was really Cole and he didn't remember anything about his former life, nothing about witches or demons. Paige shook her head, when she saw him coming into the restaurant. He saw her immediately and came to her with a friendly smile.  
  
"Good evening sit down please." Paige told him.  
  
Kevin sat down and watched her intently. She looked more relaxed and that was a good sign.  
  
Paige while away the time with some small talk until they got their orders. Then she started to tell. "Of course you are wondering about my behaviour, aren't you?"  
  
Kevin nodded.  
  
"The whole story is really complicated. First I should tell you, that you really aren't Cole. You look like him, but he is dead, as I already told you. He died last spring, after you already turned up in Seattle."  
  
"Okay" Kevin listened carefully.  
  
"He was my ex brother-in-law and we had some problems with him, my sisters and me."  
  
"Problems?"  
  
"Yes, how can I describe it. My sister Phoebe separated from him and they got divorced. But he didn't want to accept it. He oppressed us and made life hell for us. He didn't want to believe that it was over. He blamed me and my other sister for the divorce and he thought that we would keep him away from his ex wife. It was a nightmare."  
  
"And the police couldn't help."  
  
"Police, you know, they don't have the possibility to do a lot in such cases."  
  
"Yeah, that's true, but if he was violent." Kevin asked.  
  
"It was subtler, he was clever, .." she looked at him. "sorry, but I don't want to talk about it. I simply want to forget it." she excused.  
  
"Okay, I can understand that. But now he is dead, isn't he?" Kevin asked.  
  
"Yes, for heaven's sake he is. I know that sounds heartless, but that's what I feel." she smiled at him excusing. "He had an accident and he is surely stone dead."  
  
"You have seen it?"  
  
"No. What makes you say that?" Paige asked alarmed.  
  
"I thought, you mentioned it?" Kevin asked surprised.  
  
"No, you got me wrong. It was a car accident and alcohol was involved, you know .."  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
"Yes, it was really sad, but it was the best, for everybody." she stated firmly.  
  
For him, too? Kevin didn't completely believe this story. A car accident at the right time and nobody was responsible. That's a good one. But if they were really oppressed than he couldn't accuse them, perhaps it was their only possibility. Paige gave him a long hard look and pulled him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Now you can understand, why it was such a shock for me to meet somebody who looked like Cole."  
  
"Surely."  
  
"Okay and you can imagine that it would be awful for the rest of my family, too." Paige looked at him hypnotizing. "Especially for Phoebe, she is over it recently, and if you appeared, ..."  
  
"She would be floored."  
  
"Therefore please give us rest, my ex brother-in-law is dead and we don't want to remember him. I know the asking to leave San Francisco is too much, but don't come quite close to us."  
  
"I understand your problem, but what can I do, I'm a journalist here and I have to work all around the city. And I even don't know whom I have to get out of the way."  
  
"Leave that to us." she didn't want to argue with him.  
  
But Kevin didn't give up that fast. "But it would be useful to know, where I shouldn't go." he told her innocently.  
  
"I already told you, that it isn't necessary, as long as you don't want to spy on us." she said with a friendly smile, she would tell him her address under no circumstances .  
  
"Why shouldn't I? When you are absolutely sure that it's not me." he asked once again  
  
"Yes I'm sure. Didn't I tell you already ?"  
  
They starred into their drinks in silence. Kevin didn't know, what he should think about it. He sincerely hoped that he wasn't this Cole, but she didn't convince him completely.  
  
Meanwhile Paige hoped that she had persuaded him to stay away from them and that he would stop snooping around. She hoped this story would be a salutary shock for him. She smiled when she thought that she really hoped, that this story could deter Cole. But somehow she knew, that this could be possible. And who wanted to be a stalker? "I didn't want to spoil your evening, but I thought you have to know it." she finally explained.  
  
"It's okay, thanks for your honesty." Kevin tried not to sound ironically, because he wasn't sure, that she was absolutely honest.  
  
"Okay." there was nothing else to do for Paige and she searched for her purse.  
  
"No, don't bother, I'll pay the bill." Kevin said.  
  
"Thanks. Okay, I hope you'll have a nice time in San Francisco." She said and stood up.  
  
"As long as I get out of your way." he replied ironically.  
  
"Well, then." Paige wanted to go as fast as possible. She turned around and left the restaurant, while Kevin was still sitting at the table thoughtfully .  
  
Outside the restaurant Peter was waiting in his car. He listened to the radio and watched the exit. He was bored. How could Kevin persuade him to do this. He could sit in his new apartment together with Helen, but no ... Finally the door opened. But it was only a young couple, that appeared. They strolled away hand in hand. No, hopefully Kevin will hurry up a little bit, he thought. He didn't want to wait for ages. Every bone in his body was already aching.  
  
It seemed to Peter that he had really waited for ages, when the young woman opened the door finally. Peter expected that she was going to a parked car, but she passed by. Oh no she walked, he thought and jumped out of his car to follow her. Finally she walked around a dark corner and disappeared in an alley. He wondered, what she wanted in this ominous area, it was almost frightening. This could be very interesting, he thought. He tried hard to follow her, he didn't want to lose her under no circumstances. But when he turned into the side alley carefully, the woman was gone. Damn it, that couldn't be true, Kevin would kill him. Peter looked around. It was a dead end alley, it was impossible to disappear. But she did it. Peter walked along the street, he was at a loss.  
  
How could she manage to vanish into thin air. Was he mistaken? Didn't she walk into this alley. He shook his head. He had been absolutely sure, but he must have been wrong. Perhaps it was his tiredness or whatever, it was a mystery to him. Sighing, he walked back to the restaurant.  
  
When he arrived, Kevin was already standing in front of Peters car. He was still in thoughts.  
  
"Hey, Kevin" Peter shouted and went to his car. "I'm so sorry, but I lost her, I don't know how that could happen to me." He excused.  
  
"It's okay." Kevin muttered.  
  
"Hey, what's going on? Is everything alright with you?" he asked surprised, normally Kevin would give him a hard time, if he lost the woman.  
  
"Yeah, let's drive to your apartment, Peter. I'll tell you everything there."  
  
"Okay!" Peter answered and went into his car.  
  
When they arrived at Helen's and Peter's apartment, they went into the living room. When they finally sat down, Peter asked "So, what was going on? Don't keep us on tenterhooks any longer."  
  
Kevin groaned and looked at his friends. He wasn't in the mood to talk about it. But then he asked "Tell me, do you think I could be such kind of guy, who could oppress or stalk women?"  
  
"What made you think of it? Did she tell you that?" Peter asked dismayed.  
  
"No, she told me again, that I'm not this guy. But this guy, who looked like me, was married to her sister and when she wanted a divorce, he flipped out and pursued her and her sisters."  
  
"Oh!"  
  
"Yes, oh. And I'm wondering the whole time, if I could do something like that." Kevin said thoughtfully. "I mean, do I look like that? Do I behave like that?"  
  
"Why are you assuming, that you are this guy?"Helen asked.  
  
"No idea! Actually I don't do it. But she desperately tried to convince me that it's not me. But if it is me, I would do that, too. I mean if I were in her position."  
  
"I can't believe that you could do that. I even don't think that you have anything to do with that. And there are two sides of everything. Believe me, this guy would tell you a very different story." Peter told him convinced. "But there are such men, who don't want to accept that a woman wants to separate." Helen pointed out.  
  
"Do you think that I belong to them?" Kevin asked angrily.  
  
"I haven't said that. But I think you can't see just by looking. You don't know what somebody could do out of sheer desperation." But when she saw Kevins annoyed expression, she added. "It doesn't mean that I think you are that sort of man. But you have to admit, that your amnesia must have a cause."  
  
"Yes, thanks. So, you are thinking that I was running around like a maniac only because my wife had separated from me. And sometimes she had enough of me and caused an accident?" Kevin asked furiously and added. "But unfortunately I didn't die, but turned up miles away in Seattle."  
  
"That is rubbish, Kevin. She told you that it isn't you and so you aren't it, okay?. Don't rack your brains over this nonsense."  
  
"You can talk, Peter."  
  
"Why did she actually tell you about it?" Helen broached the subject again.  
  
"Because she wanted me getting out of the ways of her family. But of course only because I look like this guy."  
  
"Probably you only look like him, everybody has his double." Peter said.  
  
"Well I could do without such a guy."  
  
"It's easy, you simply don't deal with it anymore, forget this story. You have to concentrate on something else for a change." Peter decided.  
  
"I don't know, if I can do that."  
  
"Or you are going to a psychiatrist finally." Helen suggested.  
  
"Helen, please not again. That's not my thing."  
  
"But if you want to know more about your past, that will be your only way."Helen insisted on her suggestion.  
  
"But do I want to know it?" Kevin asked doubtfully.  
  
"I thought, that you wanted to know about it. You have always told that." She said surprised.  
  
"Mm, yes." he said dissatisfied.  
  
"I wouldn't think too much about this woman and her story. Perhaps it was only a fairy tale. Because she was really strange. Can you imagine, when she came out of the restaurant, she walked to a dark alley and probably she had vanished into thin air. It was a dead end street, therefore it was impossible to disappear, but she did it." Helen and Kevin watched him skeptically. "I mean it." he reinforced.  
  
"He is only embarrassed, because he had lost her." Kevin entrusted Helen.  
  
"And it's better to see women, who disappear into thin air." Helen agreed.  
  
"But that it was." Peter said offended  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
"Certainly."  
  
When Paige arrived at home, luckily she found only Piper and Leo in the living room. "Everything is alright." she told them. "As far as it is possible."  
  
"What has happened? What did you tell him" Piper asked curiously.  
  
"I thought it would be a good idea to tell the truth, or better some kind of truth. Therefore I told him, that he looks like my ex brother-in-law, who started to tyrannize us after the divorce." Paige told them with a self-satisfied smile.  
  
"And did that work?" Leo asked skeptically.  
  
"Yes, he finally promised me to get out of our ways." Paige said with a shrug.  
  
"Do you believe him? I mean to trust Cole was always a completely different matter," Piper pointed out.  
  
"He seemed a little bit shocked. I think he doesn't want to deal with it anymore. I mean nobody wants to be a stalker in his former life, not even Cole."  
  
"Hopefully that didn't help his memories along." Piper said carefully.  
  
"No, Piper, his memories are gone. You can tell him what you want, he won't remember anything. They promised me." Leo reassured his wife.  
  
"Hopefully that's it. It's all over and done." Paige said. They looked at each other doubtfully. None of them could believe, that this problem was solved so easily. They already have had too much trouble with him.  
  
One week later Kevin was standing in front of a nice old building. He looked at the sign with the name of the psychological practise. "Dr. Brenner" was written there. Why have I let myself in for being here, he wondered repeatedly. Groaning he entered the building and went into the medical practice.  
  
The last days he couldn't stop thinking about it, that he was kept in suspense about his past. He couldn't imagine that he was really this Cole, but he had to know it for sure. He wasn't desperate to be this guy, but even when, Peter was right, there were always two sides of a story. Who could know, if it was the entire truth, Paige had told him. He finally wanted to know who he really was, regardless of the consequences. Therefore he was sitting in this waiting room now. Still unsure, if this could really help him.  
  
When he entered the consulting room, a middle age woman, who had a calming effect on people, shook hand with him.  
  
"Mister Torrens." she said calmly. "You already have told me on the phone, that you haven't met a doctor yet. That is unusual for patients with amnesia." She focused her attention on him.  
  
"Yes, you know. I thought that wouldn't be necessary. My memories would come back by itself." he didn't tell her, that he was still doubting about the practical use of this mind doctors. Again he wondered why he let himself talked into doing this.  
  
"But now you changed your mind." she ascertained.  
  
"Yes, I'm not making any progress. Already more than a year had passed, and I still don't remember anything." Kevin told her annoyed.  
  
"Okay, I already told you on the phone, that I attend my amnesia patients with hypnosis. Their memories are still there, but they are buried, so to speak." She said with a friendly smile. "Mostly it's hard to find the real release. Already before it, the coping with stress wasn't good enough. The next stress situation caused too much stress hormones and the memories are buried somewhere in the brain. Now it isn't possible for the patient to find them there anymore."  
  
"But they are still there?" Kevin asked.  
  
"Yes, memories don't disappear that easy. When I use hypnosis, I go back to these situations, where the patients haven't coped with stress. And finally I can find the real cause."  
  
"But I even can't remember my childhood." Kevin considered.  
  
"That's normal in this case. I think we should try it." she said resolutely. "Do you know how hypnosis works?"  
  
"More or less." Kevin said and the doctor started to explain him the procedure of a hypnosis. Kevin listened and agreed to make a try. He laid down at the sofa and relaxed. He just heard the calm voice of the doctor. He felt comfortable and unwind. The doctor took him back to the past, but nothing happened, he couldn't tell anything. When he woke up again after some time, the doctor looked at him disappointed and surprised.  
  
"I'm so sorry, but I couldn't take out any memory, not even in a hypnotic state. It seems as if they're eliminated!"  
  
"But how is that possible? How come?"  
  
"There could be many causes, but I never experienced it, as extreme as with you." The doctor shook her head. "I even tried to go back 100 years to your past, but you couldn't tell me anything."  
  
"Why did you go back so far to the past?" Kevin asked irritated.  
  
"You know, the fact that you didn't remember anything of your present life, even in a state of hypnosis, could indicate, that there were already some problems in your former life."  
  
"In my former life?" Kevin looked at her incredulously. Did she really mean that? "Sorry, but I don't believe in things like that!"  
  
"Yes, a lot of people think so." the doctor laughed. "But when I put them under hypnosis and they are able to speak Portuguese fluently, they change their minds."  
  
Kevin wasn't in the mood to philosophize on his former life. He wanted to find out more about his present life, therefore he was here. "So you also can't help me?" he asked in reply.  
  
"Well, we can work on it. After a while we'll find a solution. Ask for another appointment. Then we'll try once again to go back in your past. Or we'll try a counselling to find out why you are blocking your memories about your present life."  
  
"Yes thanks, I'll think about it." he had already known it. Psychiatrists, they also couldn't help him. That was all just waste of time.  
  
"Or you can try a group therapy. That could help a lot of people, too." she tried to persuade him.  
  
"No, I think that is not my thing. I'm too independent to talk about my problems with other people." That's all he needed.  
  
She laughed. "Yes, a lot of my patients think so. But just try it, probably it could help, nevertheless. I strongly advise you to do something. Don't take it very lightly, that will have consequences in your future."  
  
"Surely, I won't do it. I have your address. So good bye!" Kevin said. He already knew, that he wouldn't come back. He knew it, his past was a black nothing, nobody could explore it. And perhaps it was a good idea not to do it. To solve hidden problems, why? He had his present life. It was time to think about his future. He should take care of his career, a new interesting report would come and he would forget everything as soon as possible. He left the building with this intention. 


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks for your reviews!! I was glad to read that you're reading my story and that you like it so far. I always try to update it as soon as possible. My story is rather long and I hope you'll go on reading!  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The following three weeks Kevin tried not to think about his former life or about Paige. He had decided to live his present life. Helen and Peter also hadn't mentioned anything about this incident.  
  
Slowly their work was getting more interesting. Helen did research into corruption in the town government. And Peter and Kevin were called to a murder. The victim was a man, who was killed by a not identifiable object. The object had caused injuries and cuts, nobody could explain. In the scene of the crime, the police didn't want to say one word. So Peter took some photos, while Kevin interviewed some people passing by. But nobody had seen anything.  
  
The three Halliwell sisters went to the place too. But in contrast to the police and Peter and Kevin, they knew, that the murderer must have been a demon. They had heard in the radio about the murder on a square in the city. They also heard about the mysterious circumstances. Therefore they immediately had set off to the place. They had to prepare themselves that there was a new demon in town who was up to no good. But they didn't know, who it was and what it wanted.  
  
On the spot they looked around, but they couldn't see anything interesting. When Paige turned around a police car, she suddenly saw Cole, who was standing not far away. That's all I needed, she thought and hurried back to her sisters. "Phoebe, I think it is the best idea to go home and find out something about it in the Book of Shadows. Piper and I will stay her for a while and check everything." She suggested.  
  
Piper looked at Paige curiously and wanted to say something, but Paige gave her a grim look.  
  
"If that won't bother you?" Phoebe watched her sisters. "That would suit me fine. I have to do some work at home. And certainly I'll look up in the Book of Shadows." She disappeared and Paige breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"What's going on?" Piper asked and watched around.  
  
"Look, who is coming from behind the police car."  
  
"Oh no, that's Cole. It's weird to see him somehow." Piper said.  
  
"You're telling me? Oh no, now he has seen us." Paige groaned.  
  
After Kevin had walked around the police car, he noticed Paige immediately. He wasn't sure, whether he should talk to her or not. But it seemed as if she had already recognized him so his curiosity won. He wanted to know, what she was doing here. He walked to her. He noticed just at the last moment that she wasn't alone. She was standing there with a young woman. Oh no, he hoped that wasn't his so called ex-wife. But now it was too late to turn around.  
  
"Wonderful, I asked him to stay out of our way and what is he doing? He head for us directly." Paige muttered to her sister, just before Cole arrived.  
  
"Well, fancy meeting you here. What are you doing here?" he asked.  
  
"I could ask you the same." Paige answered.  
  
"I'm working here." he hold up his memo pad to prove it. Then he turned to Piper. "Hello, I hope you aren't her sister, I mean this sister, who was married to my double. Otherwise I'm really sorry, but don't worry, it's not me. Your sister can confirm it." Kevin excused with a smile.  
  
"No, it's okay, I'm Piper. I'm Paige's sister, too, but I was never married to Cole." she told him.  
  
"Well, that's alright then. But what are you doing here?" he asked again.  
  
"Oh, we just passed by and wanted to see what's going on." Piper explained innocently.  
  
"So you are only sensation-seekers." Kevin stated.  
  
"If you want to call it this way."  
  
"Kevin" Peter went up to them. "I've taken some very good pictures." he told him. But when he arrived, he added. "Hello ladies!" He looked at them with a smile , but suddenly he noticed that it was the young woman, who he had lost in the dead-end alley. It still rankled with him. And he wanted to know, how she could manage it. He introduced himself "Peter Willett!". Paige took his hand. "Paige and that is my sister Piper" she told him. She was quite taken with the young man.  
  
Peter looked at Kevin questioningly.  
  
"No, not the one, you know..." Kevin explained.  
  
"You have told him about it?" Piper asked with a surprising tone.  
  
"Sure" Kevin said. "Why shouldn't I?"  
  
"Why are we standing here?" Peter asked and smiled at the women. "Kevin and I still have some time until we'll have to go back to work. Do you want to drink a coffee with us?"  
  
Kevin couldn't believe it, he looked at his friend, what made him think of it? The sisters had the same thoughts. But Piper couldn't believe her ears, when she heard Paige saying. "Yes, okay. That's a good idea." Piper showed a certain surprise. What's got into Paige, she wondered.  
  
"Great, so let's go. I have seen a cafe not far away, when we were coming here. It looked quite invitingly. So come on." Peter led Paige into the direction, he had showed. Kevin gave Piper an excusing smile and they followed them.  
  
When they arrived at the cafe, they found a free table at the window. They sat down and Paige and Peter started to talk about his move to San Franciso and his first impressions about the new town, while Piper had a close look at Cole. She didn't know what to think of this Cole. He looked and behaved quite normally, but nevertheless she had to be careful.  
  
"You must have been shocked, when you saw me." Kevin said and looked at Piper attentively.  
  
"No, it wasn't that bad." Paige already had told me about you." she explained him.  
  
"Oh, I see. And do you think I look like your ex-brother-in-law, too?" he asked and waited curiously for her answer.  
  
"Yes, but only at first sight." she admitted.  
  
"Do you have a photo of him?" Kevin asked slowly, he would really like to see, how this guy had looked like.  
  
"No, I'm sorry. We didn't want to have anything that could remind us of him. I think even my sister had burned all of them." Piper told him coldly.  
  
"Mm." he muttered thoughtfully.  
  
"And you really can't remember anything of your past?" Piper changed the subject.  
  
"No, unfortunately nothing." he admitted.  
  
"What gave you the idea of giving you this name?" Piper asked really interested.  
  
"Kevin? I don't know, it hasn't a special reason. I thought I wouldn't need it for a long time. I wanted to give it up, when I would know my real name again. But nothing doing. So Cole ... I think I would accept this name." he told her.  
  
Piper looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"Only the name, I mean." Kevin tried to calm her down. "Can you imagine, not long ago I had a dream. And in this dream somebody called me Belthazor." He said smiling.  
  
"Belthazor?" In contrast to Piper and Paige Peter began to laugh. "Great, who gives his children such an antiquated name nowadays?"  
  
"Perhaps I'm coming from such a wilderness, where the people still live without electricity." Kevin philosophized.  
  
"Oh no! No wonder that you have prefered to lose your memory."Peter turned to the sisters. "What do you think?"  
  
"Yes, perhaps." Piper said harmlessly. "Do you remember how the person which was calling you this name, looked like?"  
  
"How he looked like?" Kevin asked surprised. "No idea, it was only a dream." he said with a suspicious look. "Why? Do you know this Belthazor, too?"  
  
"No, certainly not. But perhaps it was a relative, you remembered." she pointed out.  
  
"Yes, probably it was my brother Casper. Unfortunately he hasn't introduced himself." he told them. "No, to be serious, it was only a dream. And you know, people mostly look very odd in dreams." He wondered. "I think to remember, I looked really strange, too."  
  
"How strange?" Paige asked curiously.  
  
"Oh," Kevin gave a dismissive gesture. "The only reason was, that Peter had persuaded me to this stupid movie night." He stared at Peter grimly, who looked back curiously. Peter has had this stupid idea, that he could remember something of his past, if he watched the Star Wars movies. Peter had told him, that everybody had watched them at least once in their life. But Kevin didn't belong to them, because he couldn't remember anything, he has had only this silly dream.  
  
"Come on, don't keep us on tenterhooks any longer." Peter ordered.  
  
Kevin wondered, why on earth he had started to tell this story. "Okay, I heard that somebody called this name. I felt myself, mm, strange, it wasn't like me. And when I went into the direction, the voice was coming from, I passed by a mirror. I watched into the mirror and saw a monster."  
  
"A monster?" Peter asked surprised.  
  
"Yes, he looked like a catcher, very strong. His skin was red and black and he was bald. He looked a little bit like Darth Maul, but worse and without horns."  
  
"Who's that supposed to be?" Peter amused. "You?"  
  
"It was as if I looked at me." Kevin thought about it. "But I have already told you, that we have had this stupid movie night that evening. And I think that was the reason for this dream." he admitted reluctantly.  
  
"I thought it could help to recall some memories." Peter explained offended. "And I have told you that it was unnecessary to start with part one"  
  
Kevin looked at him annoyed. "Usually you always start with the first movie."  
  
Peter shook his head, shocked about this ignorance. Then he added. "But even at that time I thought, that you'll have to come from a very secluded place without electricity or a television, if you don't know Star Wars. Now you have totally convinced me." he started to laugh, "Oh no, you got a nightmare, when you have watched Star Wars, I can't believe it."  
  
"It wasn't a nightmare." Kevin told him furiously. "It was like something .. mm... real. I don't know." He looked at the others, who were listening attentively. "But of course I don't believe that has anything to do with my past. Definitely not." he added.  
  
"Perhaps it was your fancy dress for Halloween." Peter suggested. "You've dressed up as Darth Maul."  
  
"I looked only similar, and I haven't had any horns." Kevin competently explained him.  
  
"Perhaps you didn't know, how to stick them on to your head."  
  
Kevin looked at him sceptically. What were they talking about, it was rubbish. He looked at the sisters. Oh no, he thought, they already hadn't a very high opinion of him, but now it was all over. They would think that he was crazy.  
  
Paige and Piper didn't know what to think about all of this. So Piper decided to say. "Okay, be it as it is. I'm afraid we have to go." She stood up. "It was nice to meet you. Peter ... mm ... Kevin." she shook their hands. Paige stood up, too. She smiled at Peter and said goodbye.  
  
When they stood in front of the cafe, Piper asked her sister. "Why did you agree to go to the cafe with them?"  
  
"I don't know, I was curious and Peter was sweet, wasn't he?"  
  
Piper looked at her sister sceptically.  
  
"Come on Piper, it was funny and absolutely not dangerous. And apart from that I didn't want to be the only person, who had met Cole. You already know him longer than I do. So what do you think? What's your impression of him?" Paige asked curiously.  
  
"Don't know. He seems to be quite normal, I mean for Cole. But it was strange, that he can't remember anything about his former life, isn't it? But this story about Belthazor was odd."  
  
"Yes, strange, that he can't remember anything, but Belthazor." Paige agreed.  
  
"I hope the Elders are right and there is really no way for him getting back his memory."  
  
"So what, he is only a mortal. So he won't be dangerous anymore." Paige said optimistically.  
  
"We can't be careful enough, remember we talk about Cole." Piper explained. "And I don't want that he'll remember anything, when I think about Phoebe."  
  
"You are right." Paige said and added. "Do you think he is in danger? I mean, do you think the demons are still searching for him?"  
  
"I don't think so. They should know that he is dead, and he isn't a demon anymore."  
  
"Hopefully, I wouldn't enjoy it, if we had to save him, because he is an innocent now." Paige screwed up her face. "I wouldn't like it to rescue him from demons as a witch."  
  
"Yes and it wouldn't be a pleasure to tell him about it, too." Piper said. "And I really hope, that he won't run into Phoebe some day. She would deny it, but I think that wouldn't be good for her." Paige nodded.  
  
When they arrived at home, they found Phoebe sitting in front of her laptop. "Hey!" she welcomed her sisters. "Unfortunately I haven't found anything interesting in the Book of Shadows. What's about you?"  
  
"Nothing important." Paige told her and sat down.  
  
"What a pity that I haven't had a premonition of it. And the injuries are really strange. I don't know, what could have caused them."  
  
"The book couldn't help you?" Piper asked again.  
  
"No unfortunately not, but I think I'll go to the place again tomorrow. Perhaps I'll have a premonition there."  
  
"That's a good idea." Piper said and went into the kitchen to prepare supper.  
  
Next morning, Kevin sat at his desk, watching the photos, Peter took the day before. He looked at his friend doubtfully. "Could you tell me, what you intended to photograph, yesterday? The asphalt?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Peter walked to him, to take a look at the photos. "That's impossible." he said astonished. "There were green spots on the ground everywhere. But you can't see anything of it on the pictures."  
  
"Are you sure?" Kevin asked sceptically and watched the photos again. "I see nothing."  
  
"No, I already told you, that there isn't anything on the photos, I don't understand it."  
  
"A lot of things disappeared recently, green spots, young women,..."  
  
"That was something else!" Peter explained.  
  
"I still don't understand. Why you had to invite them to the cafe yesterday." Kevin told him.  
  
"I wanted to do you a favour." Peter grinned.  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes. I know that you are still dealing with this problem." Peter stated.  
  
"And you know, too, that it would suit me best, if I heard nothing of it anymore."  
  
"Come on, I can't believe this." Peter looked at him. "You want to know more about them."  
  
"I don't know." Kevin thought about it. "Did you notice, how they always looked at me? I think, I would prefer, to forget everything."  
  
"Since when do you care about such things? You have never been a rational type, that doesn't suit you. Where is your curiosity?"  
  
"You don't know anything about it, they acted normally towards you." Kevin said.  
  
"Yeah, but I couldn't find out, why I lost Paige in this dead-end alley."  
  
"Oh, that was the reason, you invited them. And you told me, that you wanted to help me. You wanted to know, how she could manage to disappear that evening." Kevin shook his head.  
  
"Yes, but I couldn't find out anything. I asked her about the surrounding of the restaurant, if there are dark alleys and if it's dangerous for a woman to walk there alone at night. But she had really no idea, what I was talking about."  
  
"Well, this sisters are very inscrutable. But let's go, if you really saw green spots on the ground yesterday, perhaps they'll still be there." Kevin took his jacket and they set off.  
  
In the early morning, the scene of the crime was deserted, when Phoebe arrived. She looked around and could see only two men on the square. That's too bad, she thought. They obstructed the place where the murder had happened. But she hadn't enough time for waiting, therefore she walked to the place. One of the men she thought she had seen before, he bent down watching something on the ground. When she came closer, he stood up and turned around. Startled she stopped, "Cole?" was the only word she could say, before she fainted.  
  
"Kevin, take her, she is going to pass out." Peter shouted.  
  
Kevin jumped to the young woman and caught her before she could fall on the ground. He hold her in his arms and looked at Peter. "Do you think she knows me from way back?"  
  
"Well, I think I'll run back to the car. There is a bottle of water." Peter turned around and ran away.  
  
"Peter wait!" Kevin called, but Peter didn't stop. Wonderful, Kevin tried to warf some air to the woman. He didn't know, if he wanted, that she would wake up. Then he would have to start explaining everything again, and that gave him a very uneasy feeling. He took a close look at her. If she was his so-called ex-wife? He had the feeling, that it was her, but he wasn't wild about finding it out. Okay, this guy had had a good taste, he thought, when she started to move again. She groaned and opened her eyes. Oh no, he thought strained, he didn't know, what to say.  
  
She sat up immediately and stared at him. "Cole, why do you never find peace?" She asked resigned.  
  
"What?" he asked back.  
  
"Why do you have to torment us?"  
  
"It's not me." was the only thing he could reply with an excusing smile.  
  
"Oh, no demon this time?" she asked ironically  
  
What was she talking about? "No I ... I'm not Cole." he looked at her and saw her expression. It was full of hate, or no, it was tired and disappointed. Disappointed about him.  
  
She gave a short laugh. "You don't say! Cole, why can't you give up?" she asked with regret and first it seemed as if she wanted to touch his face.  
  
Oh no, she looked so sad and he was unable to explain her that she was wrong, or wasn't she?  
  
Luckily at this moment Peter arrived with his bottle of water. He knelt down and said. "Here, you should drink some water, you'll feel better after it." He offered her the bottle.  
  
Phoebe looked at him irritated and ignored the drink. She jumped up and the men stood up too. Kevin regained his composure again and explained. "It's true, I'm not Cole. My name is Kevin Torrens. I only look like him. Your sisters will tell you the same." he told her quietly. He thought it was a bad idea to tell her about his amnesia. Therefore he decided to leave it out.  
  
"My sisters?" she asked confused.  
  
"Yes, you are.." Kevin tried to remember her name. "Phoebe, aren't you?"  
  
"What? What is that supposed to mean?" Phoebe asked incredulously. "What kind of game are you trying to play this time?"  
  
"You should ask your sisters, they will..." Peter started, but Phoebe continued ignoring him. She still stared at Cole. "Do you really want to tell me, that they believed this nonsense?"  
  
"Yes, they did. They even confirmed it." Kevin told her shrugging his shoulders.  
  
"As if I wouldn't recognize you, Cole." Phoebe looked at him unhappy. "I don't know, how you could manage to survive this time, but I recommend you to leave me and my sisters in peace this time. It's over, you have to accept it finally." With a last glance at him, she turned around and left.  
  
"Very unfriendly the young lady." Peter shook his head.  
  
"Just because she was shocked." Kevin felt the need to defend her.  
  
"What? You excuse her conduct?" Peter looked at his friend. Kevin was lost in thoughts, while he followed her with his gaze.  
  
"Come on Kevin, this situation wasn't your fault." Peter tried to pull him out of his thoughts.  
  
Kevin shrugged his shoulders, he didn't know, what he should think about it. He felt guilty, that the young woman was hurt. That was the last thing he wanted. He didn't want to harm her.  
  
Kevin still didn't stay a word, therefore Peter added. "By the way, gradually I believe, too, that they have killed this guy. I tell you, this is a hot story."  
  
"Forget it, Peter!" Kevin replied severely. The sound of his voice didn't accept arguments.  
  
Peter looked at his friend in surprise. So far nothing could stop him, when he had found an interesting story. This Phoebe really had put him off. "You aren't really involved in this story. You have nothing to do with it." he tried to convince his friend.  
  
"Okay. But she was sure that I'm Cole." Kevin said calmly.  
  
"Yes and she was sure that you have risen from the dead, too. So I wouldn't set great store by it."  
  
"Mm," that couldn't convince Kevin. He felt guilty and that was a bad feeling.  
  
"Well, you should relax first. The green spots are gone, too. So we have to go back to our office. Let's go."  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe drove home, as fast as possible. She felt strange, she still couldn't believe, that Cole was still alive. And he looked quite normal, but why did he pretend not to recognize her, she wondered. Because of this other man? Probably he was a demon and Cole wanted to hide something. She hoped that she didn't blabbed out anything. But why should she care? It wasn't her problem anymore.  
  
But why did he tell her, that her sisters could explain everything, that didn't make any sense, did it? Did they already know, that Cole was still alive? Did they keep this secret from her? This thought infuriated her, yeah, that was a better feeling. She was so mad at them, how long did they already know it? And why haven't they told her? She enjoyed her rage, it suppressed all of her other feelings.  
  
Foaming with rage she entered the manor. When she found Piper, she hissed. "I just met Cole."  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
"Oh yes! Why didn´t you tell me?"  
  
"We wanted to protect you, Phoebe."  
  
"You wanted to protect me? Things could hardly get any worse. I suddenly ran into him without advance warning." she told her sarcastically.  
  
"We hoped that wouldn't happen." Piper excused.  
  
"That wouldn't happen?" Phoebe looked at her sister disbelieving. "I can't imagine that you have thought, Cole would get out of my way."  
  
"Please calm down, Phoebe. And sit down." Piper asked her.  
  
"No, I don't want to calm down and I also don't want to sit down." Phoebe snapped at her sister.  
  
"We didn't want you getting hurt again." Piper looked at her concerned.  
  
"I'm immune to Cole. It's over, you know that. I don't feel anything for him anymore. I proofed it more than once." Phoebe told her stubborn.  
  
"Yes, I know. But nevertheless you can't deny that it's hard for you to see him again."  
  
Phoebe sat down on the chair and took a deep breath. "You are right. It was such a shock to meet him. I don't understand anything. Although I always had my doubts that he was really dead."  
  
"We were shocked, too. Paige met him some weeks ago. And she asked him to keep away from us. He promised to do it."  
  
"Did you believe him?" Phoebe asked sceptically.  
  
"Didn't you notice it?" Piper sounded surprised.  
  
"Noticed what?"  
  
"That he has lost his memory."  
  
Phoebe looked at her sister astonished. "Well, he told nonsense, that he wouldn't be Cole, but" Phoebe snorted. "As if I wouldn't recognize him."  
  
"Paige didn't know exactly if it was really Cole. Because he didn't recognize her."  
  
"Lousy trick!"  
  
"No Phoebe, he really didn't recognize her. They.." Piper pointed her forefinger upwards. "thought that Cole deserves another chance, what means a usual life. Therefore they have sent him back to earth as a mortal."  
  
"He deserves another chance? I can't believe it." Phoebe shook her head.  
  
"Yes, they really meant it. Don't ask me why. So they sent him to Seattle but without his memory." Piper explained.  
  
Phoebe stared at her in surprise.  
  
"To put your mind at rest, they promised Leo, that he won't get it back." Piper continued. "Nobody has planed, that he would come back to San Francisco. That's a bit of bad luck." Piper pulled a face.  
  
"He can't remember anything?" Phoebe followed up. "He doesn't know that he was a demon or that we are witches? He doesn't even remembers me?" Phoebe didn't know, whether this disclosure was a relief to her, or not.  
  
"No, he remembers nothing. But unfortunately he must be a journalist in his present life. And it isn't a good idea to draw his attention to this story."  
  
"Well" Phoebe said guilty.  
  
"What?" Piper asked really getting worried.  
  
"Well, I couldn't know it, because you didn't tell my anything. Therefore, I don't remember exactly what I have told him, but I told him, that I'm sure, that he is Cole in plain terms."  
  
"We told him that Cole is dead."  
  
"And I told him, as far as I remember, that he managed it to survive again."  
  
"Oh no, Phoebe." Piper let out.  
  
"You know it's your fault, you haven't told me. How should I know what to say." Phoebe told her angrily. She reflected on it and added. "I don't know, but it didn't seem to me, as if he was searching for a headline. He looked dismayed."  
  
"Well, Paige told him that you have had a violent husband. And that he persecuted you after your divorce." Piper explained.  
  
"But why did she tell him this story?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"She wanted that he leaves us in peace, that he doesn't ask any questions anymore. Understandably he wants to know who he was. But Paige thought nobody wants to be a stalker in his former life."  
  
"But now I convinced him that he is Cole, more or less." Phoebe sighed. "Whether I like it or not, I think I'll have to meet him again. I have to convince him that I was wrong."  
  
"Are you sure, that it's necessary?" Piper looked at her sister sceptically.  
  
"Yes," Phoebe said calmly. "Do you have his address?"  
  
"I think Paige has it, but Phoebe don't you think it's better you wouldn't.."  
  
But Phoebe interrupted her sister. "Don't worry, I don't have any problems to meet him again. Okay, he is a mortal today, but I don't want to have anything to do with him anymore. I'm over him, already for a long time." she tried to convince Piper.  
  
Piper had a strange feeling. She wanted to believe her sister. She knew Phoebe talked herself into being immune to Cole, but Piper had her doubts, if that was really the truth. But she also knew, that she couldn't help or influence her, she had to cope with this situation on her own. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next morning Phoebe was standing in front of the building of Cole's newspaper. Paige couldn't find the note with Cole's address and phone number, but she could gave her the business card of his colleague Peter Willett. But that was just what she needed. She didn't want to meet Cole at his apartment, the newspaper was a better place. After Paige told her Cole's present name, she warned Phoebe that it was a stupid idea to meet him again. But Phoebe knew what to do, she had to convince him, that he wasn't Cole. She made a mess of it and she had to fix it again. Of course her sisters were guilty, too. She thought grimly. She couldn't understand, why they hadn't told her anything. Didn't they trust her?

She had to proof, that she could sort it out. It would be dangerous, if a journalist snooped around in their lives. Why did he have to choose this profession, only to annoy them? She groaned and walked to the reception.

The receptionist told her, where she had to go. When she arrived at the 8th floor, she had to follow a long corridor, until she could see Cole's office. The door was opened and she could see him sitting at his desk, looking at some papers. She breathed deeply and walked to him."Good morning!" she said.

Kevin looked up and was surprised to see Phoebe standing in his office. He jumped up and shook her hand. "Good morning, sit down please." he pointed to a chair right opposite to his own chair. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

"No, thanks." Phoebe sat down and started "I just passed by to apologize."

"You have talked to your sisters?" he asked.

"Yes. And the ... similarity is really .. huge." She tried to explain her yesterday's reaction.

"Yes it seems so." Kevin grinned "I'm very sorry, that I frightened you yesterday. I didn't mean to."

"Yes, I know." she looked at him.

"Well," he said. "Yesterday you were convinced that I'm really your ex- husband. That ..."

"No, that was a mistake." she interrupted him. It was strange to sit face to face with Cole and he didn't know, who she was, where they had gone through. She couldn't imagine, that he really remembered nothing of it. She didn't know, whether she was happy, or sad. Of course happy, told her a voice inside, you wanted to be free of him. Yes, that was true, that's what she wanted. She couldn't understand why, but despite everything that has happened, she has had a bad conscience, that she has vanquished him again. Although it wasn't really her and he had deserved it, without any doubts, she tried to convince herself. Well, this was the perfect solution. He wasn't dead and he wouldn't be dangerous anymore. She noticed, that she hadn't listened to him and smiled in excuse. "Excuse me, what did you say?"

"I only wanted to point out, that I would like to know if there is the possibility, that I'm your ex-husband, . Perhaps I could compensate for the things, I have done, whatever that was. Or I would keep away from you, whatever you want. But not to know who you are, that .. that drives me mad." He smiled at her, but when he saw her horrified look, he added. "Not really insane, that's just an empty talk."

"Yes I know," Phoebe had to smile against her will . "But I can't help you, sorry. Leave everything as it is, please. You aren't Cole."

He nodded and looked down. He knew, that he didn't have to urge her. Even if he was Cole, she wouldn't confess it today. And she hasn't really convinced him, that he wasn't. It was an interesting imagination, that he had been married to her, but what happened after it, wasn't desirable. He looked at her again and changed the subject. "Your necklace is very interesting." he told her.

"What?"

"It suits you. It's just like you." he smiled.

"Thanks." Phoebe said blankly. She had seen the necklace in a New Age shop and she liked it immediately, although it wasn't anything special at all. But it wasn't expensive and she bought the necklace immediately, but didn't wear it up to now.

He still smiled at her and asked " Does the symbol have a special meaning?"

"On the pendant are runes." Phoebe explained. She felt strange somehow, as she had to explain him things like that. "They are supposed to protect the owner."

"Surely you don't believe that?" he asked surprised.

"I have bought the necklace, because I liked it and not because I believe in it's magical power." A Cole who didn't have any idea of magic, that was something she had to get used to, or rather not! She'd better go now, she thought by herself, she had persuaded him, that he wasn't Cole and that's all she wanted. It was a mystery to her that she remained seated.

A member of the editorial staff suddenly entered the office and gave Kevin a stack of paper. "The article must be ready until half past eleven Mr. Torrens." he meant and disappeared immediately.

"Mm, things are pretty lively in a paper." Kevin said apologetically.

"Yes I know."

"You don't say?" he asked amused.

"Yes, I work for a journal."

"Really, you're a journalist too?"

"Yes as to speak, I work for the Bay Mirror. There you can find "Ask Phoebe" and that's me."

"You don't look like an agony aunt." he let out without thinking. "I mean, well, you need a great experience of life for this kind of job and you are very young."

"I call tell you, I already gained experience." she told him in a serious tone.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean ..."

"No, it's okay. I have got a few tales to tell. I went through a lot, but I had nice experiences, too. And that is it, what finally counts."

"You're right," he said with a smile. "And I'm sure that you can help a lot of people."

"You can't treat it with disdain. I really try to help my readers. And sometimes I succeed." She tried to defend her work.

"Yes of course, I really meant it."

"Some journalists smile condescendingly at my work. Perhaps I overreacted a little bit." she excused. "Although I'm really successful. I have a show on the radio, too. So you could almost call me famous." she leant back satisfied .

"What do you think, I have to listen to sometimes, I don't have any education after all . So I can understand you very well. But I try to ignore it." He looked at her intensively. "But I believe that you do a very good job, without a doubt."

"Thanks," Phoebe looked around. " I think I'll let you do your work now."

"No, that's no problem. I still have a lot of time. I'll write this article within ten minutes." he told her smugly.

"You don't say? Within ten minutes." Phoebe asked ironically.

"Surely. I'm an expert on."

"Really?" Phoebe had to laugh.

"You have never read any of my articles?"

"I'm afraid, no"

Kevin rummaged around several newspapers on his desk. "Here it is." he had finally found the paper and turned it to the right page. "I have written this report about the murder of Adam Samuels. This article will interest you, your sisters were present, too." he gave Phoebe the paper. "Unfortunately we didn't have any pictures, because the damn photographer took photos of the asphalt."

"That was..." Phoebe looked at the business card. "Peter Willett"

"Exactly. You met him at the square yesterday, too."

"Oh, please tell him, that I apologize my conduct yesterday."

"That isn't necessary, you were suffering from shock. He understands that." Kevin told her.

"Okay." she mused.

Oh no, Kevin thought, now he had reminded her of the real purpose of her visit. And as he had expected, she stood up and said. "Thanks for the paper, but I really have to go now."

"Don't mention it. But perhaps you could also give my an issue of your journal. I would like to read it."

"You could buy it." She suggested him with a smile.

"Okay," Kevin said resignedly. He suspected, that he wouldn't see her again. He could understand, that she didn't want to concern with a guy looking like her crazy ex-husband. Or possibly was her ex-husband.

"Good bye." She said and turned around.

"Good bye." He replied and followed her with his gaze.

In the corridor Phoebe came towards Peter Willett, who looked at her blankly. "Good morning" she muttered and passed by. At the moment she wasn't in the mood for another talk. It was a long time ago, that she has had a normal talk with Cole. She still had to think about her feelings. Probably it was better to forget it. Cole led a usual life as Kevin and she had her own life. She wouldn't see him again, so there was no need to think about it anymore. Convinced about it, she left the building.

Peter couldn't believe that he has seen Phoebe at the corridor, he looked after her and when she disappeared, he walked into Kevins office. "Was it your ex-wife, I just met her in the corridor?"

"She isn't my ex-wife." Kevin said exasperated.

" That sounded very differently yesterday. What did she want?"

"She wanted to tell me, that I'm not her ex-husband."

"Again? They are getting to tell it too often."

"Stop it Peter!"

"Don't be so touchy. This story is a real mystery." Peter pointed out.

"Even so, I don't want to know anything about it, anymore." Kevin made absolutely clear to him.

"But why? I always thought you desperately wanted to know more about your former life." Peter asked confused.

"They told me, that it's not so. Therefore it is not me. That's it! I have to write this article now." Kevin turned to the papers on his desk.

"Okay, no problem." Peter left the office angrily . Kevin wouldn't do anything. But Peter had the feeling, that somebody had to get to the bottom of this story. Therefore he went to the first floor and had a nice talk with the woman, who worked at the reception. At the end she told him the name of the young lady, because she had to made a note of the name in the reception book: Phoebe Halliwell. He would find out, if this was her real name. Peter set off satisfied .

Meanwhile Kevin needed more time to write the article, than he had expected. After lunch he was busy with other thing, when he got a call from Helen. "Hello Kevin, do you know where Peter is?" she asked him.

"No, why?"

"I can't get him on the phone. He promised me, that he'll pick me up at the municipal authorities this afternoon. After that we wanted to go to the outskirts, because of my current story." she groaned.

"Sorry, I haven't seen him since this morning."

"Damn it. Tell me, can't you come with me, or do you have a lot to do?"

"No, not really, but don't you need a photographer?"

"No, that isn't necessary. I only need a kind of eyewitness and I want some photos as a proof, not for the paper. So how about?"

Since Kevin didn't have anything important to do and he was also curious, which trail Helen got onto. So he agreed.

He arrived at the office block of the town authorities 15 minutes later. It was a modern building in the city center not far away from the paper. When Kevin reached the steps to the entrance, he was suddenly faced with Phoebe. "Hello!" he said surprised, but pleased.

"Do you follow me?" Phoebe asked severely.

"No, of course not. What gives you that idea?" he asked angrily. Who did she think he was, oh yes, he remembered.

"Mm" she muttered not very convinced. "So what are you doing here?"

"I'm here for profession."

"At the municipal authorities?" she asked sceptically.

"Yes I'll meet a colleague here." he stated.

"And what is he doing here? Investigations about the town authorities, that sounds like a thrilling article."

"Yes, probably. Why are you so suspicious?" he wondered.

"I'm not!" Phoebe contradicted.

"Well," Kevin started after a lull in the conversation "have you already read my article?"

"Yes I have." she answered and saw his satisfied smile. She wanted to know, if he had news about the murder, the sisters didn't know. That was the only reason she had read the article. But he didn't know much more about it. He had written that the victim was Adam Samuels, who had worked as a lawyer for an enterprise producing mainly arms. He had been a board member there, too. Surely it was also interesting, to read an article of him. And she had to admit that he was talented, but she wouldn't tell it to him. She therefore told him. "I was curious to find out more about the murder, because my sisters were on scene of the crime, too."

"Well, unfortunately, I couldn't find out a lot. The police keeps back information. The only interesting things were green spots on the ground, Peter had photographed allegedly."

"Green spots?" Phoebe asked interested.

"I wouldn't take that serious." Kevin said with a dismissive gesture. "I couldn't see anything of it on the pictures."

"Strange!"

"Yes, and did you like my article?" Kevin tried it again.

But Phoebe didn't respond to his question and asked "Tell me, how did you like your current job? I mean, you don't know which profession you have had before."

"I don't know. It was good luck, I think. My neighbours worked for the Daylight Express and I could help them investigating. I had a lot of time and no money. And I liked it, to get onto a mystery. To find out secrets, people don't want to reveal, that's great." he told her with a sly smile.

She had to be on her guard, Phoebe thought and said. "Well, then I should be careful."

At this moment, Helen left the building and walked towards Kevin. She gave him a welcoming hug and smiled. Phoebe watched this irritated. A workmate, of course.

"That's my colleague Helen." Kevin told Phoebe.

Helen smiled and noticed the young woman, Kevin had talked to. She gave her her hand. "Helen Carter." she introduced herself.

Phoebe took her hand "Phoebe!" she answered and watched Helen with a critical look.

"So Phoebe, what are you doing here?" Kevin tried to get the talk going.

"I'll meet my boyfriend." she stated.

"Oh! I see."

"Yes, he is working here. His name is Philip Hartman, we have a date this evening." She told him nastily and watched to the entrance in a state of expectancy. Immediately Philip appeared and Phoebe walked to him and gave him a kiss. "Hello, my dear!" she told him. Philip was really surprised, but he enjoyed the warm welcome.

Phoebe turned back to Kevin and Helen "We have to go now." she told them and pulled Philip along, down the stairs.

"Well then." Kevin said and watched after her disappointed. "Have a nice evening."

Philip took Phoebe's arm and they went to his car. "Who was that? Didn't you want to introduce me?" he asked.

"Well, that was nobody important. They only wanted to ask for the right way." Phoebe muttered. She didn't understand her stupid behavior. Hopefully Philip wouldn't think that she wanted more than friendship, now. At the beginning she had considered about a closer relationship. But the difference between them was too big. First she only noticed that he was good-looking, respectable and native. As the saying goes, opposites attract she thought. It was nice to know somebody, who had no idea of demons or the underworld. That was good to get her mind onto other things. But then it had started to become difficult to hide it. She realized that it was impossible to tell him everything, he was too normal, he wouldn't understand or accept it. That was only one reason, why she couldn't think about something closer than a friendship. But why had she given Cole and Helen the impression that Peter and her would be a couple? She shook her head. That was only Cole's fault, she thought grimly, when Philip wrapped his arm around her shoulder to get her closer on their way to the restaurant .

"Who was that?" Helen asked curiously, when the two had disappeared.

"My so-called ex-wife!" Kevin answered cynically.

"Oh!" Hellen let out surprised "Not a bad taste."

"Mm!"

"Come on, you like her."

"No I don't, she isn't my type."

"Really? And what type of women do you prefer?"

He looked at Helen "Tall, blond, blue eyes." he said grinning.

"Thanks for the compliment, but I see it, she is on your mind."

"Of course I'm occupied with her. That's no wonder under the circumstances, but ..." he thought about it. "I look like her violent ex-husband. And finally she has a boyfriend."

"Oh no, you didn't believe her show, did you? Don't worry, next time you can tell her that her boyfriend hopefully will be in prison soon."

"What gives you that idea?" Kevin looked at Helen surprised.

"Come on, I make investigations about a corruption scandal. Why do you think I'm here? Don't you ever listen to me?"

"Mm." Kevin shrugged his shoulders

"That's so typical of you." Helen shook her head.

"And this Philip is involved into it?" Kevin's mood improved, when he thought about these news.

"Yes. I think, I remember his name. He could be involved in some deals. But he isn't an important one, no wirepuller. It seems as if he is only interested in his career, no matter what he has to do for it. And that are the worst."

"Come on Helen, don't you slightly exaggerate a little bit."

"Yes I know, but such people are always fishy. So you can warn her, if you want, and tell her that her boyfriend is probably a criminal. But she mustn't say a word about it, I'm just in the beginning of my investigations and I don't want them to find out about it."

"Okay, but I won't do it. I don't think that she wants to hear it from me, probably I'm the last of all people." He looked at Helen. "And that's understandable." He added quickly.

"I see!" Helen stated convinced. "You like her."

Kevin rolled his eyes, but didn't say a word. He knew it was useless to talk about it with Helen.

"Hey, it's okay. But let's go now." Helen suggested.

"By the way, where are we going?"

"I'll tell you in the car."

They arrived in a street in the outskirts, where the houses stood side by side. It was impossible to get behind the buildings to the back site. Helen stopped in front of a large building. It looked well-kept and there was a sign with the label "Midlands New Hope Day-Care Center"on the front. But strangly there wasn't any noise you could hear on the street. Perhaps it was good insulated, a noise reduction, Kevin thought.

"So could you finally tell my why we are here?" He turned to Helen.

She told him, what she had found out about the town authorities. Two years ago, the town decided to support a new day-care center and a school for underprivileged children. The public funds were granted and they searched for a suitable building.

"We are standing in front of it." Helen showed to the closed windows and explained, "but there don't play any children in this building. Only the front is well-kept, the house inside is dilapidated. But the town still supports this complex. In the books you can find faked orders for furniture, books, toys, and so on. The money flowed, not into this center, but into the pockets of corrupt office-workers of the government."

"But why didn't it come to light?" Kevin wondered.

"Because the people, for whose children this institution was intended, didn't know anything about it. So they didn't ask about it. Nothing had changed for them ."

"And nobody checked it? Has nobody ever been here?"

"That wasn't such an important affair." Helen explained. "The government aid wasn't that big that somebody took care of it. At the moment they even dare to appeal for funds for the renovation of this building." Helen shook her head. "I think it should only be a kind of propaganda, like: Look what we are doing for the poor people, and nevertheless nothing becomes of them." She watched at the building. "I think they never had the intention to invest money here. Because it would be a waste of money as they see it." she sighed. "That is only a little thing I found out. But I can tell you, when money disappears here already, I'm convinced you'll be able to find large-scale fraud."

"And you'll bring it into the open. I'm sure." Kevin endorsed her.

Helen looked at the building and gave Kevin the instruction to take some pictures.

"Okay," she said, when they went back to the car. "Now we have to get onto the back side."

They got on the car and Helen guided Kevin along a few narrow alleys until they reached a neglected ground. They got out of the car and Helen let Kevin to a wire fence. It already had some holes, so it was no problem to get to the complex. They had to cross the area, where they could see junk and scrap metals on the ground and finally they had to balance over a plank to reach the next site. Now they were standing on the back side of the building. From this side the dilapidation of the building was visible. They went to the back entrance. The door wasn't closed and they entered the building and came into a dirty kitchen. It was obvious, that nobody used it. The other rooms were nearly empty, too. They found only rubbish and some broken furniture. They went through the building and Kevin took some photos.

When they arrived back at the paper, Peter was waiting for them in Helen's office. Most of the other contributors had already gone home and the paper was nearly empty. Peter apologized, because he had forgotten his appointment with Helen. But Helen was in a real good mood, because her suspicion in connection with the Midland New Hope turned out to be right. And so she forgave him immediately. She kissed him and told him that she still had some things to do. Therefore Peter and Kevin left her alone and they went to Kevin's office.

"I'm glad that you have accompanied her." Peter said .

"No problem, it was really interesting." he looked at Peter "But tell me, where have you been?"

"Mm!" Peter proudly took out a piece of paper and gave it to Kevin. He took it and started to read. "Phoebe Halliwell." He stopped surprised and looked at Peter severely.

"Well, I thought it would be interesting for you. Today I investigated a little bit. And how you can see, I found out something." he smiled contented. Kevin still looked at him. "Hey, you should read the note, there you'll find her address and who is living in the house, too. Her sisters Piper Halliwell and Paige Mathews. We already know them. But I wonder why Paige has another surname, because I thought that she isn't married."

Kevin still didn't say a word and therefore Peter continued. "They also had a fourth sister, Prue, but she died some time ago. She had lived in the house, too. Oh yes and her grandmother and mother are dead, too. I didn't find out anymore, until now, but hey, that's a lot for only one day, isn't it? Oh, I nearly forgot the most important thing: The name of Phoebe Halliwell's ex-husband was Cole Turner. But I think now it's your turn to find out more about him." Peter looked at Kevin full of expectation. But what was going on with him? Peter shook his head, he hasn't expected that Kevin would fling his arms around his neck, but he could be a little bit more enthusiastic. "So, what do you say? I did a good job, didn't I?"

Kevin didn't know, what he should think about it. On one hand he was furious about Peter, he had told him, that he should stop it. But on the other hand it was a relief to know her name and to have the chance for inquiries. But if somebody made investigations about her, it would be him and nobody else. It wouldn't have been a problem for him to get this information. That would have been easy. What did Peter think he was doing? Poked around in Phoebe's life. Kevin took a deep breath, he tore up the note and threw it into the waste-paper basket. Then he told Peter severely "I told you to leave her in peace, to stop it."

"Come on, I wanted to do you a favour."

"A favour? Don't you think I would have been able to find it out on my own, if I had wanted it?" Kevin asked coldly.

"But she was so secretive and there I thought..." Peter started to explain.

"She even told me which journal she is working for, so it wouldn't have been a problem for me to get these information. She doesn't have anything to hide from me."

"You don't really believe that, do you?" Peter asked bewildered.

"Surely I believe it and I don't want to cause her even more trouble. And if you're my friend, you'll keep to it and let that matter."

"Is that an order or what?" Peter asked annoyed.

"No, it's a request."

"I didn't hear that word."

"Then I'll say it now- PLEASE let that matter rest!" Kevin looked at Peter and his view showed that he won't take a joke in this case.

"If you really want that." Peter turned round offended and set off to Helen's office. He had invested so much time and this idiot... He never saw him like that before, this witch has bewitched him. Still grumbling he reached Helen's office. He told her that Kevin still wanted to stay there. He didn't want to tell her about their quarrel. Luckily she was so inspired about her first success in her corruption story, that she was talking the whole time. Peter listened quietly.

After Peter had gone, Kevin took the paper basket and took out the tore piece of paper. He wrote the name and the address onto another note. Perhaps he would need this information once. Cole Turner, this name didn't mean anything to him. But nothing meant anything to him, he laid his head onto the desk, why on earth he didn't remember, he thought angrily and banged his fist on the table. He only wanted to know, who he really was. But the frightened feeling came again, he has had already when he has made the first attempts of inquiries about his past. He was convinced that he wasn't an evil person, surely no good Samaritan, but normal, with a good core. But then it would be impossible that he could be this Cole Turner, couldn't it? And if he was, did the sisters tell him only nonsense? He sighed and straightened up. No he wouldn't start to research about it now, but it would be useful to have a basis for his inquiries. He wouldn't throw the note away, perhaps he would need it one day. He put it into his purse and left his office. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Until next Tuesday, Kevin tried not to think about Phoebe or Cole again. He already made it up with Peter, and he knew that Peter would keep his promise and won't try to find out anything about Phoebe or her family anymore.It was Kevin's problem, and he would decide about the right time for further investigations. Helen's story about corruption in the government got ahead and Kevin hoped secretly that this Philip was really involved in it. Surely, he didn't wish Phoebe another wrong boyfriend, but she better noticed today, that they didn't suit one another than years later. And it was obvious that they didn't suit together, he had seen it from the first sight. And Helen's information had confirmed his opinion. That was objective, he tried to convince himself.

Phoebe also tried not to think about Cole's appearance anymore. She hoped, that she wouldn't see him again, then everything would be as it was before, nothing would have changed. She could pretend to believe that he was still dead and she could live in peace. Finally he had his life and his "workmate" and she had her life, too. And she couldn't imagine a real occasion, where she would meet him by chance. Well, there weren't any problems. She sighed and wished that it would really be so easy. She put the newspaper on her desk aside to focus her attention on her reader's letters, when she got a premonition.

She saw an old building, inside it was rather dilapidated. There were a demon and a young woman in a room on the ground floor. The woman implored the demon to let her go, but he was only laughing. A green liquide dripped out of his long sharp fingernails and he threatened to prick it into her body.

After her premonition Phoebe dazedly shook her head. She had to rescue this woman and she had to do it right now. She took the phone and dialed Paige's office number. But Paige wasn't there and a college told her, that she already had an important meeting with her boss and that it was impossible to disturb it. No matter how important Phoebe's problem was. Phoebe told her that it was a matter of life and death, but the silly old cow didn't give in. Phoebe didn't want to give her a message for Paige, so she told her to tell Paige to ring her up."Of course it'll be too late," she told her angrily. But the firm answer was. "I'll tell her."

Still angry, Phoebe wanted to call Piper, when her glance fell onto the newspaper lying on the desk. She saw an advertisement of the "Midland's New Hope" with a picture of a little dilapidated building. In the advertisement, the people were requested to give money for the renovation works of the building. You could find the account number in big letters, but, you could also find the address of this so-called 'new hope' in very small letters. Phoebe was sure that she had seen this building in her premonition. It wasn't far away from her office, she could reach it within 10 minutes. She took her bag and her keys and left her office. On her way to her car she tried to call Piper. But when she arrived at the car she finally noticed that she hadn't recharged the storage battery. Damn it, she thought, there wasn't enough time to run back to her office. She had to do it on her own. She took a deep breath. No problem, she could handle this demon alone, she thought or better she hoped so. And if necessary she could call Leo.

At the same time Kevin was on the way to "Midlands New Hope", too. Helen still needed a picture of the front. The last one hasn't turned out very well. It was more or less his fault and therefore he agreed to drive to the building once again to take a picture. When he reached the street, he noticed to his astonishment a lot of police cars. The police had cordoned off the area in front of the building. He went out of his car and walked to the crowd barrier, where already some curious bystanders were standing.

"What's going on?" he asked an elder woman. She looked at him and was so impressed that she could tell him the latest. "Somebody kept a woman prisoner in the building." she told him conspiring.

Kevin looked at the woman in surprise, he knew she was waiting for it. And he was right, she was satisfied and continued. "The police tries to come into the building, but they didn't succeed yet. The door seems to be build of iron. The police can't open it and they don't want to make too much noise, they are afraid, that the kidnapper would do a panic action, if he noticed the police." The woman wanted to go on talking, but Kevin has found out enough. He smiled gently and expressed his thanks to her effusively. Then he walked towards a police officer. He thought hard about it. Surely he had to tell them, that there was another way into the building from the back side. And probably nobody would ask him, why he knew it. He didn't want to endanger Helen's inquiries. She would be furious, if something of her story leaked out now. But she also wouldn't risk the life of the woman, only because of her story. Of course he could try it on his own, too. He could go into the building from the back side and rescue the woman. Sometimes the police wasn't very competent, so why shouldn't he try it? His picture as the hero of the day in a newspaper, that didn't sound bad.

But no, he groaned, he knew he had to tell it to the police officer, he knew it. There was a young man, who tried to keep the people outside of the area. Kevin just wanted to step over the barrier, when he snapped. "Stay, where you are. No entry! Only for police officers."

Kevin showed him his press card. "I work for the press, and I want to help you."

"The press wants to help us? Stay, where you are, the situation is critical."

"You don't understand, I know how..."

"No, you don't understand. You are disturbing the police operation. Scram!"

Kevin thought about it for a second, but he didn't want to hear it twice. Okay, fate would have it. He has shown his goodwill, but this idiot hasn't listened. Kevin has tried the right, but unfortunately it has failed. He thought with a sly smile. Certainly, he could try it again, but it was useless, this arrogant guy would think, that he was only a pompous ass. Like it or not, he had to try it on his own. He smiled smugly. He turned around and was faced with Phoebe Halliwell.

Phoebe has left the car and to her horror, she has seen that the building was crawling with police officers. She couldn't imagine a way, how to come into the building discreetly. But she had to rescue the woman, she thought, when she suddenly run into Cole.

"Hey, what a nice surprise. What are you doing here?" he asked gently.

"I have to get into the house desperately. "she told him, she had no time for excuses.

"Nobody comes in the vicinity of the building." Kevin told her.

"But I have to. I have to rescue the woman." she demanded angrily.

Kevin looked at her surprised. He thought about it and touched her arm. "Come!" he told her. "I know another way."

"Really?" she asked suspiciously, but followed him to his car.

"Yes, I have already been here. Some streets away there is a deserted area on the backside of the building. There it's no problem to get into the house." She still looked at him sceptically. "You can believe me!" he added and looked back. Phoebe didn't know what to do, but then she decided to get on his car, because she hadn't another idea how to get into the building.

"Why didn't you tell the police anything about?" she asked while the short drive.

"I tried to tell them, but, as to speak, the police officer wasn't interested in my information. And I didn't want to force him." he told her grinning.

"So you wanted to leave the woman to her fate?"

"No, what are you thinking of? We are already on the way to help her." He smirked. "And the police couldn't do it better."

Phoebe just wanted to contradict him, when she remembered, that she also didn't want that the police would pick up anything about this.

"Here we are." Kevin told her and got out of the car. They went the same way like Kevin and Helen some days before. At the plank Kevin gave Phoebe his hand. First she wanted to ignore it, but then she took it. It was absolutely harmless, no use to think about it, she told herself. "Thanks." she muttered.

When they arrived at the building, Kevin stopped and hold her back. "I should go forward. It could be dangerous." he told her.

"No, that's not necessary, I know where they are."

Kevin looked at her in surprise. He remembered, that he didn't ask her, how she knew about the kidnapping and why she thought that she could help the woman. He already wanted to say something, when Phoebe put her finger onto her mouth and whispered. "We have to keep the noise down."

He nodded reluctantly. They went into the kitchen and Phoebe thought hard, how she should manage it, to get rid of Cole. It had been a bad idea, to come with him into this house. But she has had no choice. He shouldn't pick up anything about the demon. So she had to try to mislead him. But that could be difficult, if he didn't change. At the other end of the kitchen there was a corridor, which led into two directions.

"You'll take the right way and I'll take the left." she suggested.

Kevin looked at her indignantly. "That's out of the question. It's too dangerous. I don't leave you alone, you could bump into the kidnapper."

Phoebe groaned, he hasn't changed. But what to do now? "Listen, probably he isn't on the ground floor. And I'll be carefully. When I'll see somebody, I'll pick you up immediately. If we split up, we'll be faster. We'll have to hurry, if we want to rescue the woman."

Kevin looked at her sceptically, she was right, but he didn't want to expose her to danger.

Phoebe looked around and went back to the kitchen. There she found two rusty knifes in a receptacle on the sideboard. She took it and gave one of them to Kevin. "Here. Now we are armed at least."

Kevin took the knife and told her. "I promise you, the kidnapper will have much dangerous arms."

She saw, that he wasn't satisfied with their arming. "If we go on thinking, she'll probably die." Phoebe tried it again.

"Okay, but be careful and don't do anything on your own."

"Of course not. Let's go." Phoebe walked into her direction.

Kevin didn't feel well, but finally he went into the other direction. He entered the first room, but he couldn't find anything. He went into the next room, and again nothing. He went on to check the rooms. He looked around and listened, but he couldn't hear any noise. Suddenly he remembered that Phoebe had told him in front of the building, that she would knew, where the kidnapper is. He stopped and grinned, she had managed it very well and sent him into the wrong direction. But why? It was a complete mystery to him. He turned around and went into the direction, Phoebe had gone.

In the meantime Phoebe was already standing in front of the room, where the demon kept the woman prisoner. She could see how he brandished with his long green fingernails in front of the frightened woman. He scratched her skin here and there. The places, where the substance had touched her skin, formed bumps and the woman started whimpering. Phoebe had to act fast, soon Cole would understand her trick and the woman needed help, too. She didn't think about it and rushed into the room. With a kick she threw him through the room to the wall, away from the woman, who was lying on the ground. She took the knife and threw it at the demon. But the knife only gazed its arm. A green substance dripped on the ground. The demon looked at Phoebe "You already haven't won, witch." he told her nastily. "That is only a scratch." Suddenly they heard steps from the corridor. On no, that was Cole, Phoebe thought disgruntled. But then she had an idea, how she could use this situation. "Do you hear the steps demon?" she asked "That are my sisters, together it won't be a problem to vanquish you." She told him self-satisfied.

The demon looked at her in surprise. He thought about it and decided that it would be better to disappear for this time. Shortly before Kevin appeared at the door, the demon shimmered out.

Kevin noticed a shadowy figure, who disappeared immediately.

"Is everything alright?" he asked Phoebe, when he saw the woman lying on the ground.

"Yes, everything is okay." she answered and went to the woman.

"Where is he?" Kevin looked around, one second before, he still had seen him.

"He is gone." Phoebe told him. "He ran away."

"Where to? Perhaps I can still catch him." Kevin looked around again, but he couldn't find another door. So the kidnapper has had to come towards him, but why hasn't he seen him? Kevin went back into the corridor, but he couldn't see or hear anything.

"Let him go, you can't catch him anymore." Phoebe told him.

"But.." Kevin let out hesitating.

"No, the police will catch him."

"The police? He won't be so stupid to fall into their hands. He can run through the back door. Wait a moment." Kevin ran into the kitchen and looked through the door, but he couldn't see anybody. But that was impossible. The kidnapper couldn't be so fast. He shook his head.

Meanwhile Phoebe thought about the possibility to call for Leo. The woman wasn't in such a bad way, but if the substance was poisonous, it could be dangerous for her life. But if Phoebe called Leo and Cole saw it, she wouldn't be able to explain it to him. "How do you feel?" she asked that woman carefully.

"It could be worse." she said quietly.

"Do you think the essence was poisonous?" Phoebe asked.

"Which substance?" she asked and closed her eyes again.

When Kevin came back into the room with an irritated expression on his face, Phoebe took a decision. "C..." what was his name? "Kevin, could you carry her?"

"What? Carry her?" he asked Phoebe surprised.

"Yes, we have to disappear as fast as possible. The woman needs a doctor."

"Do you think it's a good idea, to move her? The police will open the door soon, I have already heard them and then ..."

"The woman needs a doctor right now, you don't know, when they have managed to open the door." she interrupted him immediately. "Or do you want to explain them, why we are here?"

"No," he told her "You're right." He looked at the woman and went to her, when he suddenly stopped. "That's strange! Get a load of this, here on the ground are the same spots, Peter described me." He looked at Phoebe excited. "Do you remember, I have told you about it. The spots, which we couldn't see on the photos."

"I'm not interested in your spots, now. We'll have to disappear, if we don't want to get into trouble." Phoebe brushed him off.

She was right, but nevertheless the whole situation was more than strange. But he would think about it later. He picked up the woman, who wasn't very heavy, so it wasn't a problem for him. Phoebe went forward and Kevin followed her carrying the woman. When they reached the plank Phoebe went onto the other side and turned around. Kevin stepped on the plank carefully, but nevertheless he tottered.

"Be careful! Don't drop her!" she snapped at him.

"I try hard." he told her ironically and glanced at her. "I have no intention to end up in the muddy water."

"Okay, okay!" Phoebe said and watched him balancing over the plank, while he was carrying the woman.

Without a hitch they arrived at Kevins car. He laid the woman down on the backseat, while Phoebe told him

"You can set us down at my car, I have parked it.."

"Are you crazy?" Kevin interrupted her. "We must take the woman to the hospital immediately."

"And what do you want to tell the doctor? Have you already thought about it?"

"I don't know, that she has fallen off a tree, or whatever. I'll come up with something, I'm rather inventive, if it's necessary." He told her with a satisfied grin.

"I believe implicitly. But no, I'll take her to my home. My brother-in-law is a doctor, he'll treat her without asking questions."

"Okay, if you say so, but I'll take you there." Kevin told her severely and started the car.

"That's out of the question. You'll take us to my car."

"That's a really great idea." he told her ironically. "I'll take you to your car and in full view of the police I'll get the woman out of my car and bundle her off into your car. I think that will be really interesting for the police."

Phoebe sighed, he was right, but in no case she wanted him in the vicinity of her home. But she had no choice.

"You have to tell me the way." he told her in annoyance. He helped her and she made such a fuss, when he only wanted to be nice and carry her home. Didn't he proof that she could trust him, finally he took part in the whole strange action, without asking too much. And he still didn't know what he should think about it.

"Sorry, it's okay" she told him, she has nearly forgotten, that he didn't know the way. "At the next crossing, you have to turn left."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
When they arrived in front of the manor, Kevin parked and switched off the car. He got out and wanted to pick up the woman, when Phoebe told him. "Wait, you don't have to take her into the house. I can call my brother-in- law, he'll take her."  
  
Kevin looked at her angrily and told her in a tone tolerating no protest. "I'll carry her inside, okay?" He picked her up and walked to the entrance.  
  
Oh no, what would her family think, if she arrived here with Cole? Phoebe thought uncomfortable, while she ran behind him. But she has had no choice, they had to understand this. She passed him in a hurry and opened the door. She found herself immediately faced with Paige, Piper and Leo.  
  
When Paige had got Phoebe's note, she went home immediately and told Piper about it. Piper had worried, because she didn't hear anything else of Phoebe. They couldn't make any sense of it. They didn't know, why Phoebe didn't call again and didn't arrive at home. Finally Piper called Leo, while they were waiting nervously for Phoebe.  
  
And now she opened the door and was unharmed, but they could see Cole behind her, carrying an injured woman. The three looked at her in disbelief.  
  
"Where shall I take her?" Kevin asked watching them. While they were standing paralyzed and looked at him distrusting.  
  
"Mm to the sofa into the living-room." Phoebe said and showed him the way. Then she turned around and said soundless "Don't worry, everything is okay. I'll tell you later."  
  
Kevin laid the woman down on the sofa and looked back.  
  
"Okay my brother-in-law, the doctor.." Phoebe added loudly and pushed Leo into the living-room. "will look after her now."  
  
Leo went into the room towards the woman.  
  
"Are you able to help her?" Kevin asked suspiciously, while he was watching the injured woman.  
  
"I'm sure, he'll manage it." Phoebe told him quickly and dragged him along out of the room. "But he prefers to be alone while his medical attendance. He needs that for his concentration."  
  
"Does he have his medical case there?" Kevin asked, after he has left the living-room. He tried to turn around, but Phoebe tugged him further to the door. "I haven't seen anything of it."  
  
"It was standing there, don't worry." Phoebe knew, that her sisters were dying to hear what had happened. She had to get rid of Cole as soon as possible. "Well, thanks for everything." she told him with her friendliest smile. "It was very friendly of you to help me, but now we'll get on well."  
  
"What?" Kevin couldn't believe his ears, she wanted to push him away. "But I would like to know, if the woman was alright. Finally I helped to rescue her." He indignantly showed into the direction of the living-room. There was something wrong here.  
  
"You know, my husband needs some time, finally we don't know what's wrong with her. So don't let us keep you." Piper told him friendly but firmly.  
  
Kevin looked at the sisters irritated.  
  
"Okay then!" Phoebe opened the door.  
  
Kevin was reluctant to get out. "But you'll tell me, what happens with her?" he asked unsatisfied.  
  
"Sure, no problem." Phoebe told him gently.  
  
Kevin got out, when he remembered something. "I'm sure you don't have my phone number." He reached into his pocket and took out his business card. He showed it to Paige, before he gave it to Phoebe. "They are finally ready." he grinned.  
  
Phoebe took it. "Thanks" she said. "I'll call you." She just wanted to shut the door, when Kevin stopped again. "What will happen with your car? It's still parked in front of the building, I can take you there, that isn't a detour for me."  
  
"No, thanks, but Paige will take me there, won't you?" she turned to her sister.  
  
"Surely, we'll sort it out, don't worry." she answered.  
  
"Alright!" Kevin groaned.  
  
"Yes, and thanks again." Phoebe finally shut the door. She sighed in relief and turned around. Piper and Paige looked at her disapproving. "Don't look this way. I had no choice, I had to accept his support."  
  
The two weren't convinced, but in this moment Leo walked out of the living room.  
  
"How is she feeling?" Phoebe asked, glad for this diversion.  
  
"She is alright, I could heal her wounds. But I still don't know the effect of the substance." he shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Is it a kind of poison?" Piper asked.  
  
"No, she isn't in danger anymore. The essence had disintegrated already. I think it's only life-threatening, when you use an overdose. But I still don't know, what the substance results in."  
  
They thought about it, but nobody had an idea. So Piper turned back to Phoebe. "Well Phoebe, now you should tell us from the beginning, what had happened. Perhaps then we'll know more."  
  
"Okay!" Phoebe told them about her premonition and the circumstances, why she had to accept Coles help. After her account, they decided to go onto the attic to search for the demon in the book of shadows. Leo stayed downstairs to look after the woman.  
  
"I still think it was too dangerous to ask for Cole's help." Piper told her, when they entered the attic.  
  
"But what should I have done? There were police officers everywhere and I had to get into the building. And finally I haven't asked him." Phoebe told her.  
  
"You could have called Leo!" Piper suggested.  
  
"With all the police in front of the building? That wasn't a good idea." Phoebe justified herself.  
  
"Perhaps into your car." Paige suggested.  
  
"I decided that it was too dangerous, there passed by a lot of people, they could have seen something." Phoebe confirmed.  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"But where did Cole know the way from?" Piper wondered.  
  
Phoebe thought about it. "I don't know, he hasn't told me. Strange!"  
  
"The whole affair is strange, Phoebe." Piper pointed out. "Remember, why did the police know about it?"  
  
"Perhaps somebody had watched it." Phoebe suggested.  
  
"A demon and it's victim? Surely, they walked along the street and entered the building, rather unlikely!" Piper told her.  
  
"How shall I know it? Anyway, the police was there and Cole knew another way. That's it." Phoebe looked at her sisters. "No, in spite of everything, I don't believe that he was involved in it. He really had no idea."  
  
"Well, he deceived us frequently." Paige remarked.  
  
"No, I don't believe it this time." Phoebe said , but suddenly she wasn't so sure about it anymore. "Let's search for the demon first." she added.  
  
"How does the demon look like?"  
  
Phoebe reconsidered. "Rather mortal, but he had green shining eyes, sharp teeth and long sharp fingernails and out of it dripped this green substance."  
  
Piper leafed through the book, while Phoebe remembered something. "I think it was the same demon, who killed the man on the square last week."  
  
"What makes you say that?" Piper wondered.  
  
"Cole told me, that his colleague has seen green spots on the ground, but you couldn't see them on the photos. And he has written in his article that the victim had strange wounds, but the police didn't want to talk about it."  
  
"Why do you know, what he has written?"  
  
"He gave me the Daylight Express with his article about the murder." Phoebe watched her sisters, what were they actually thinking?  
  
"Oh, he probably gave you this article, when you had one of your change encounters before." Paige went into it.  
  
"You're really exaggerating. He gave me this article, when I had to meet him at the paper. And that was the only time, I have met him before."  
  
"If you say so." Paige answered.  
  
Meanwhile Piper was searching for the demon in the book. She was sure that Phoebe would take the right decision. She didn't want to interfere. Suddenly she saw a demon, who looked like Phoebe's description. "Phoebe, look! Could it be this one?"  
  
Phoebe watched over her shoulder into the book. "Yes, exactly. That is it. Quasta," she read. "Is there anything else written about him?"  
  
They read, that the demon could influence the memory. They could vanquish him with a potion. One of the components was a little bit of his own substance.  
  
Unfortunately, Phoebe had to tell them, that the essence, Cole's colleague had seen, was gone the next day. If they liked it or not, they would have to go to the building again. If they wanted to have a little chance to get something of the substance. It would be disintegrated tomorrow.  
  
At the same time, Kevin was already on his way back to the paper. He was still angry, that they had given him short shrift. They had nearly thrown him out of the house. And that after he helped Phoebe to rescue the woman. He still couldn't believe, why he put up with it. Without him she wouldn't have had any choice, and then she had put him in front of the door like a troublesome piece of furniture. He had the right to know, what was all about. Why did they rescue the woman unauthorized, without help of the police? And where did the kidnapper go to? He could bet, that he had seen him for a moment, and then he had disappeared. But if he ran away through the door, Kevin would have seen him in the corridor. His head started spinning. He couldn't understand anything of this event, everything struck him as rather strange. Did it have anything to do with Helen's corruption story? Did Phoebe want to protect her boyfriend? But no, Philip didn't look like the kidnapper, but who knows? Perhaps it was one of his henchmen. But what should he hope to achieve by that? That didn't make any sense.  
  
Suddenly Kevin remembered, that he had promised Helen to take a picture of the house. It was impossible with all the police in front of it, but perhaps they were gone now. He wasn't in the mood to go back to the house, but he also didn't want to tell Helen or Peter about this action. He could hardly imagine, what they would tell him. Normally he could talk with them about everything, but this was something else. He sighed and turned around to drive back to Midlands New Hope. He hoped at least the police would already be gone.  
  
Paige orbed them into the first floor of the building. They watched through the window, because they wanted to know, if the police was already gone. They couldn't see anybody on the street. No police and no onlooker. They also didn't hear any noise, so they decided to go down to the ground floor. When they passed the front door and noticed that it was broken open and locked up temporary. They followed the corridor and entered the room, where the demon had hold the woman prisoner. They noticed, that the police had searched the building carefully. The doors were opened and there were footsteps on the ground. They could also see steps in this room. But the police obviously hadn't found anything interesting. They hadn't found trace of blood on the ground and therefore they had probably thought, that nobody had committed a crime there. Even the rusty knife was still lying in the edge, where Phoebe had thrown it. But unfortunately the green substance was gone, too, they couldn't find any green spot on the ground anymore.  
  
"Damn it!" Paige groaned. "Why must this stupid essence disintegrate that fast."  
  
"We'll have to wait until Quastas next attempt. Hopefully we'll be able to rescue the innocent and get something of his substance next time." Piper hoped. "I think here is nothing to do for us anymore. Let's go home."  
  
"Paige can orb you back home. Remember, my car is still here. I'll go there and drive home." Phoebe decided.  
  
"Okay, Phoebe, but do you think you can open the door?"  
  
"Yes, the police had patched the door up temporarily. It won't be a problem to open it from the inside."  
  
"Okay, we'll meet you at home again." Paige and Piper disappeared and Phoebe walked to the front door. It was easy to open it from this side . Phoebe had to press against it only a little bit and in the next moment the door was open. She walked through the door and was faced with Cole. Why did that happen again and again, she thought angrily.  
  
When Kevin arrived in front of the building, he was relieved, that the crowd of people was already gone. He saw, that the door was broken open and decided, that it would be hardly shown on the photos. The only problem would be the colored barrier tapes everywhere. He started to remove them, when he heard a noise from inside the house. He went closer to the door and listened. Suddenly it opened and Phoebe went out of the door. He looked at her, more than surprised. "What are you doing here again?" he wondered.  
  
Phoebe recovered fast and answered. "I could ask you the same." What did he want here again?  
  
Kevin made up his mind , if he should answer her or not. Finally he told her. "I need a photo of the front of the building. Therefore I was here before, but the crowd disturbed me."  
  
"Since when are you a photographer, too?" she asked not very convinced.  
  
"It shouldn't be a professional photo, Helen needs it for her documents only." Kevin tried to explain.  
  
"And why are you interested in this building?" she wanted to know.  
  
Although he wondered, why he went to the trouble of answering her questions, while she never answered any of his questions, he told her about the corruption story, Helen had discovered.  
  
"And the authorities still spend money for this institution?" Phoebe wondered.  
  
"Hard to believe, I know, but the building looks alright from this side. Therefore nobody was suspicious. You can see only from the backside and inside how dilapidated it is."  
  
"That's the reason, why you knew the way." she said.  
  
"Mm, yes, Helen knew it, don't ask me, where from." He smiled apologetically.  
  
Good, this question was solved, she thought and it had nothing to do with demons or kidnapping. Somehow she was relieved about it.  
  
"Listen." Kevin said suddenly. "It could be that your boyfriend, I mean Helen thinks..." he stopped, should he really tell her about it?  
  
"What?" Phoebe smiled "What do you want to say?"  
  
"Well, you have to promise me, that you won't tell anything about it anybody. Helen will kill me, if I mess up her story." he looked at her requesting.  
  
"Okay, I promise." She looked at him excited.  
  
"You also don't have to tell it to your boyfriend." Kevin added.  
  
Why shouldn't she tell Philip about it? She wondered, but that wouldn't be a problem, so she said again. "I promise."  
  
"Okay!" Kevin started. "Helen thinks that your friend is involved in this affair."  
  
"Philip?" Phoebe couldn't believe it, she didn't think he was that sort. "I can't imagine this. Does she have evidence?"  
  
"Well Helen remembered his name. She thinks that she has seen his signature under some faked contracts. And she believes that he belongs to this guys, who would do anything for his career."  
  
"She thinks, she believes, that isn't a proof." That sounded vague. Okay, Phoebe believed him the story about the Midland's New Hope, but not that Philip was involved in it. Although Helen was right and Philip really would do everything for his career, nearly too much, for Phoebe's opinion. But he wouldn't cooperate with this fraud, he was too law-abiding.  
  
"I only wanted to warn you. How I know Helen, she'll have enough evidence soon. And then he could be in trouble. And you already had problems with your .. mm .. husband, I don't want that this will happen again with your next boyfriend."  
  
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself." she answered bitchy.  
  
"Okay, okay, but I don't want you to get hurt again." He told her. Somehow he felt the need to protect her and he didn't know exactly why. "Now it's your turn."  
  
"Thanks, that you warned me." Phoebe looked at him, and he noticed, that she was serious about it.  
  
"No problem." Kevin said. "But remember, that you have promised me not to talk to him about it." He looked at Phoebe and explained. "If he is innocent, nothing will happen. And if he is involved in it, he'll be the wrong for you."  
  
"Alright, you don't care a lot about honesty in a relationship, do you?" she asked coldly and continued before he had the chance to answer. "But don't worry, I have promised you and I'll keep it."  
  
"Okay!" Kevin started again to remove the tapes. Phoebe watched him for a while and asked finally "What are you doing there?"  
  
"What? Oh that's because of the photo, I don't want that you can see this tapes on the picture." He showed her one of the colorful tapes. "They are rather flashy. And I don't want to answer too many questions about it."  
  
Phoebe felt obliged to help him. Together they managed to remove the last tapes. They stepped back and Kevin took the picture. Then they walked back to their cars.  
  
"By the way, what happened to the woman?" Kevin asked. "Could your brother- in-law heal her?"  
  
"Yes, luckily he could. She'll be well again."  
  
"What did she have?"  
  
"Unfortunately Leo couldn't say it," Phoebe told him and then she added. "He needs a laboratory test, then he'll know it."  
  
"Yes, I understand! But she really has had strange wounds. I still didn't know, how somebody could cause her this injuries and above all why."  
  
"You never know, what's going on in the mind of a maniac." To Phoebe's relief, they already arrived at her car. She looked at Cole again and said. "Thanks for your help again and for the warning. I'll be careful." she got into her car and started.  
  
Kevin looked behind her. He had told her about the corruption story and he had warned her. He hoped she would really be careful. He trusted her that she wouldn't tell anything about it. But he noticed that once again, only he had answered her questions, while she evaded his questions masterly. She was really good in it, he thought appreciatively. But sometime he would find out everything about her and he would get answers to all of his questions, he swore.  
  
When Piper and Paige arrived at home, they found Leo in the living-room. The woman hadn't woken up yet. They told Leo, that they hadn't found anything of the green demonic essence anymore, when the woman suddenly moved a little bit. She groaned and sat up. She looked around and watched them horrified. "Who are you?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"Don't panic!" Piper tried to calm her down. "You have had an accident, but everything will be well."  
  
"An accident?" the woman tried to remember and touched her forehead. "I can't remember anything of it. The last I remember is, that I was in the living-room and wrapped up the christmas presents."  
  
"What?" Piper looked at her irritated. "You did wrap up the christmas gifts? But we have already May."  
  
The woman looked at her surprised. "No it's December, isn't it?" she looked worried at Paige and Leo.  
  
"You are a little bit mixed up," Leo tried to calm her down. "You should rest now. Everything will be alright, after it."  
  
"Yes, you are right." she laid down again and closed her eyes.  
  
The three left the living-room. "Wasn't there written anything about Quata's ability to influence the memory?"  
  
Paige wondered. "I'll read it again, perhaps I'll find something interesting in the book." She went upstairs.  
  
"And where is Phoebe?" Leo asked and looked around.  
  
"She wanted to go back by car, she had parked it in front of the building. But I hope it was really that easy to open the front door." Leo looked at his wife asking. "The police had locked it temporarily, after they had opened it violently. Phoebe was convinced that she wouldn't have a problem to open it from the inside. I only wonder, what has taken her."  
  
But meanwhile, Phoebe had already arrived in front of the manor. She got out of the car and went to the door. She was glad, that Cole's presence at the building could be solved so easily. She still didn't know, what she should think about this corruption story. She would like to talk about it with Philip, but she had promised Cole not to do it. Although she really couldn't believe that Philip was involved in it. But he could blab out something and she didn't want to risk it. She had decided not to tell her family, that she had met Cole again. They would only draw the wrong conclusion. In a few days she would tell them, that she had called Cole and that he had told her about the corruption story at that time.  
  
Satisfied with her decision she entered the house and met Leo and Piper in the floor. They told her, that the woman had woken up, but slept again. Piper just wanted to explain it more detailed, when Paige came downstairs. "The demon is able to influence the memory." she started.  
  
"We already know that." Piper told her impatient. The three looked at Paige.  
  
She noticed their impatience, but started again. "The demon is able to influence the memory, like you already know. Quasta injects a little bit of his demonic substance into the victims to wipe out their memory. The more he injects, the more of their memory they loose."  
  
"You mean, if he injects a small dosis, the victim will loose a month, and if he injects more, a year or even more." Leo concluded.  
  
"Yes and if he injects too much, the essence will be lethal and the victim will die, like the man last week on the city square." Phoebe thought.  
  
"And our innocent had lost the memory of five month?" Piper asked.  
  
"It looks like that." Leo said.  
  
"But how shall we explain it to her?" Phoebe groaned.  
  
"How about an temporary amnesia because of an accident?" Paige suggested. "That often happens lately."  
  
"Well in contrast to Cole, she only lost her memory of a few months and she still knows her name." Phoebe pointed out.  
  
"Yes and as far as I know, there won't be any aftermath." Leo added.  
  
When the woman woke up again, they told her that it was already May. Because of the accident and the shock, she probably had a temporary amnesia. The woman told them that her name was Debra White. She could remember, where she lived and that she worked for the town authorities. Phoebe was surprised to hear this. Debra was distracted, because she had to work in another department since January. Now she wouldn't remember her colleagues or her work anymore. The sisters tried to calm her, that the memories would come back soon in her familiar surroundings. They knew, that that wasn't the truth, but Debra believed it. She wanted to know, where they have found her. Phoebe told her, that she had seen her on the road side, on her way home. "That was probably an awful case of hit-and-run offense." Phoebe added angrily. "You should inform the police. Such people may not escape."  
  
Debra agreed and Phoebe drove her to the police station. They went into Darryl's office, where Debra and Phoebe could tell him what had happened. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
A few days later, Helen entered Kevin's office, when he was sitting at his desk. She looked rather sad. And Kevin remembered, that he hadn't already told her anything about the incident at Midland's New Hope. "Hey, what's the matter?" he asked.  
  
"I'm so depressed. I'm not making much progress with my corruption story." She sat down at the chair in front of his desk and sighed. "Imagine, today I should have an appointment with a town authorities employee, her name is Debra White. She called me, some days ago and gave me some very interesting hints. And I noticed, that she wanted to talk." Helen paused.  
  
"But that's great."  
  
"Yes, it would have been great, if she came. But I waited and waited and she didn't appear. Therefore I called in her office again, and she really told me, that she didn't know, who I am. I couldn't believe it. Okay I thought, perhaps she didn't recognize my name, so I told her, why I was calling. But she hadn't the faintest idea." Helen told Kevin indignantly.  
  
"Perhaps she was only afraid."  
  
"Yes, that's possible, but during our first talk, she didn't seem to be frightened. And then she told me, such a silly story, that she has had an accident and lost the memory of the last months. Could you tell me, who should believe that?"  
  
"Not very originell."  
  
"You're telling me? Oh, I'm so frustrated, and I thought that would be the breakthrough for this story." Helen hanged her head.  
  
"Come on, chin up! You'll find somebody else, who wants to talk. At least you can be sure, that you have stirred up a hornet's nest."  
  
"Probably you are right." Helen straightened up. "But why I'm actually here..," she took out the photo, Kevin had taken, "look, here, at the door, it looks like somebody wanted to force the door open."  
  
"Where?" Kevin asked innocently.  
  
"There!" Helen showed him, what she meant.  
  
"Mm!"  
  
"Have you noticed anything?" Helen asked.  
  
Kevin didn't want to tell her anything about it, but he knew, that it wasn't fair. Finally she was his friend, he thought about it and said. "To be honest, when I arrived, there were barrier tapes of the police in front of the building."  
  
"Really? Where?" Helen asked excited and looked at the photo.  
  
"I removed them. You know, I thought, they wouldn't look nice at the photo, the color was awful."  
  
She looked at him absolutely surprised. "You did remove them? And why didn't you tell me anything about it?"  
  
"I thought it wouldn't be important."  
  
Helen couldn't understand him. Okay, probably a few hooligans wanted to enter the building and later the police had to lock the door again. She watched the picture, that would explain the marks. "You should have told me. It probably isn't important, but you never know. There could be more to it, than meets the eyes." She looked at Kevin and was convinced that he knew it. Even in the beginning of his work as a journalist, he hadn't made such stupid mistakes.  
  
"Okay I'm sorry, next time I'll tell you." he promised.  
  
"It's okay, you know, I don't think that this has anything to do with my story." She sighed "Unfortunately!"  
  
"Come on Helen, at least you are working on an interesting affair. I mostly have had to write reports about opening of shopping malls or spring festivals since we are here." Kevin tried to encourage her.  
  
"Poor Kevin, you are right. But tell me, how are you at the moment? Have you met your so-called ex-wife again?"  
  
"No, why shouldn't I?" he asked quietly.  
  
"I don't know, I haven't seen you very often in the last time." She looked at him. And you weren't saying very much lately, she thought.  
  
"Why do you think that has anything to do with her? I have no connection with her?" he asked surprised. "The only reason is the lot of work, a hard working journalist has to do in this city." He grinned.  
  
"Okay, then I don't want to disturb the hard working journalist anymore." Helen laughed and left his office.  
  
When Helen was gone, Kevin was thinking, whether he should have told her, or not. He felt remorse, because he didn't tell her, but only a little, he thought. Finally he was convinced that the whole affair had nothing to do with Helen's story. But now he had to think about it again, he managed it successfully not to think about it the last days. Because when he did it, he had hundreds of questions and no answers. And that drove him mad. The only person, who could answer his questions, hadn't called yet. And he strongly suspected that she wouldn't do it.  
  
He was tempted to call Phoebe, because he had the right to know, what was all about. He took Phoebe's journal out of the drawer. He bought it out of curiosity, a few days ago. He wanted to read her advices. It had been very interesting to read her answers to the reader's letters. He had to laugh or agree, when he was reading her advices. She was really good in it, he decided. But now he was searching for the masthead. When he found it, he looked for the phone number of the paper.  
  
Kevin took the note with Phoebes name out of his purse and watched it. He had to try it, he decided and took the phone. The woman at the switchboard gave him Phoebe's direct dialing. But when he tried to reach her, he only got her colleague on the phone. She told him, that Phoebe had already left the office. Damn it, Kevin thought, aside from the fact, that he didn't have her number, he also didn't want to call her at home. He looked at his watch and noticed, that it was early in the afternoon. So he asked Phoebe's colleague, if Phoebe already went home and if he could call her there. She told him, that Phoebe had finished her work earlier this day, but she didn't want to go home directly.  
  
It was great, that the woman was so communicative, Kevin thought satisfied and so he asked gently. "I'm a very good friend of her, my name is Kevin Torrens, surely she already told you something about me." Of course he hoped, she didn't.  
  
He heard a vague "Yes" from the other side of the line. That's good, he thought and grinned satisfied. "I have to reach her badly. It's very important. And when you know her so well, you can probably tell me, where she wanted to go." He noticed, that the woman hesitated. "She'll thank you forever, if you tell me. I promise!"  
  
The woman gave in "Okay, she wanted to go to the beach, in a weather like this, she called it a day."  
  
"Not a bad idea. I hope you'll finish your work soon, too."  
  
She sighed "No, unfortunately I have to stay here until 6 o'clock."  
  
"But soon you'll be off for the weekend, too." he comforted her. "Listen, do you know by any chance, which part of the beach Phoebe prefers? She already told me, but I can't think of it now." he told her apologizing.  
  
"Yeah, I know that!" She agreed and told him about the beach, where Phoebe liked to go.  
  
He thanked her effusively and hanged up. He knew where this beach was and if he went to it right now, he would find Phoebe, he decided. He took his keys and set off.  
  
Phoebe reached the parking lot some time ago. It was near the part of the beach she liked most. She parked her car and walked along the sea. She needed some time to relax. The sun was shining and a low wind was blowing. She could smell the sea and watched some doves.  
  
After Debra White reported the hit-and-run offense to the police, Darryl and Phoebe accompanied her to her home, last Tuesday. On the way back, Phoebe told him the real circumstances of her accident. He had promised her to throw the report into the paper-basket and to ask about the Midland's New Hope. The next day he could tell them, that a passerby had heard a woman screaming in the building. He had called for the police and they arrived at the building immediately, although they didn't know, what they should think about the report. They had problems to enter the building, because the lock was rusty and the door was inhibited. They needed half an hour to open it. When they finally entered the building, it was empty. They couldn't find anybody, no trace of blood either. They decided, that it has been a false alarm.  
  
Phoebe was glad to hear it. She was also lucky, that she hadn't heard anything of Cole. She still didn't know, what kind of feeling she had, that Cole was still alive as a mortal, but without his memory. She had her doubts, that he would be satisfied with her lame answers and excuses. She didn't think that he had changed so much. She still wasn't sure how she should handle with him. It was too strange, that he had no idea of magic. But she was convinced that it was the truth. She was surprised, that it had been so easy for her to be together with him. Finally he wasn't dangerous anymore, she reassured herself. He wasn't a demon anymore and not possessed by his so-called love for her. That was a relief, but there was still the danger, that he would find out that she and her sisters were witches. Finally he was a journalist and he could use the story. He had no reason not to do it anymore. And Phoebe didn't want that he would have anything against them in his hand. She sighed and looked around. She had walked further than she wanted to. She saw a piece of rock at the sea and went to it. She wanted to rest for a while, until she would go back. It was rather impossible, that she would meet him again by chance. So she could go out of his way, she decided and watched the glittering of the sun on the water.  
  
When Kevin was still more than a mile away from the beach, Phoebe's colleague had told him about, he saw a woman, who was sitting on a rock near the water. Instinctively he knew, that this woman was Phoebe. He parked the car at the road side and walked in her direction. At the moment, this part of the beach was nearly empty. Phoebe didn't notice that anybody came closer, because she was lost in the view of the sea. It touched him in a strange way, to see her sitting there and he walked slowlier. He thought, how he could approach, because he didn't want to rouse her. But she had already heard his steps and looked up. You talk of the devil and he's sure to appear, she thought. What was he doing here?  
  
"Hello Phoebe," Kevin started. "I hope, I don't disturb you. Your colleague told me, that I could find you here."  
  
"Oh really, has she." I'll tell her something, Phoebe thought grimly.  
  
Kevin made a appeasing gesture. "Don't be angry with her, I persuaded her so to speak, to tell me, where you are."  
  
"And why that?"  
  
"Well, you wanted to call and until today you ..."  
  
Phoebe interrupted him. "But you already knew, that the woman was alright again. So there was nothing to talk anymore." She stood up.  
  
He laughed disbelieving. "You aren't serious about it, are you?"  
  
"Well, I have to go now. It's a long way back to my car." She said and turned around.  
  
"Wait!" Kevin ran behind her. "I'll walk part of the way with you."  
  
Phoebe knew, that she couldn't stop him following her. This time, it wouldn't be so easy to get rid of him. To divert him, she asked him, if he already had made progress as far as his amnesia is concerned.  
  
"No, not at all, I guess I won't care about it anymore, otherwise it'll drive me mad."  
  
"You don't remember anything, no place, no event?"  
  
" No I even saw a psychiatrist recently, although I had sworn to myself, that I would never go there." Oh no, why did he tell her all that?  
  
"And she didn't find out anything?" she asked slightly alarmed.  
  
"No, just imagine, she has taken me back 100 years under hypnosis, to find a possible reason for my amnesia in my former life, such a nonsense!"  
  
Phoebe just couldn't hold back and started to laugh. She would like to tell the doctor that the whole 100 years were his present life. That would be very interesting for her.  
  
Why did she find it funny Kevin wondered meanwhile. But he had to admit that the whole situation had been odd.  
  
"I'm sorry," Phoebe said when she had calmed down. "I just imagined that situation."  
  
"Yes it was really strange. I knew from the beginning that she wouldn't be able to help me."  
  
Silently they walked side by side for a while, when Kevin began to speak. "Why don't you tell me what's the meaning of this affair, then I'll vanish immediately."  
  
She thought frantically, which plausible story she could tell him. "Okay, the woman has had an accident, but she can't remember anything of it. She also didn't know, how she got into the building. I think she dragged herself along."  
  
"Into the building? But the door was locked."  
  
"From the other side, like we did it."  
  
"And the kidnapper?"  
  
"Well, there wasn't a kidnapper. I have already told you, that I haven't seen anybody."  
  
He was so sure, that there had been somebody, didn't he see a shadowy figure? Or was he just imagining things?  
  
"And since I often had trouble with the police, I didn't want to initiate them into it."  
  
"But how did you know about that woman?"  
  
She thought about it briefly - this Cole wouldn't take it serious anyway, he even didn't believe in rebirth. "I'm kind of medium." She looked at him and recognized that she was right immediately.  
  
"Medium?" That's a good one, he thought.  
  
"Yes, I felt that this woman needed my help."  
  
"Is that so?" she didn't expect him to believe it, did she? He could hardly believe it.  
  
"You see, you're exactly like the police, they also never believe me. That's why I didn't want to initiate you. But you have seen, that I was right, the woman was there and I could rescue her." she looked at him triumphantly.  
  
She really believes it, he thought, was she crazy? He looked at her sceptically. Although she had really known, that the woman was in the house and needed help. Certainly a passerby could have told her. But if she really believed, that she was a medium, her strange behaviours and her mystery-mongering would make sense. And it was harmless. He smiled and said. "Okay, when you say so." She wasn't crazy, she only believed in such occult witch stuff. Besides there exists Voodoo and other phenomena in the world, and a lot of people believed in it. Unfortunately he didn't believe anything of it. Therefore he asked again "And the woman is really alright?" He hoped her brother-in-law was a real doctor and not a shaman or whatever.  
  
"Yes she feels well again. Her name is Debra White and you could visit her and convince yourself, if you wanted. But I have to warn you, she has forgotten everything of her accident."  
  
Debra White, he was sure, that he had heard this name before. But where? He couldn't remember. Suddenly they heard a loud thunder behind them. They looked back and saw a pitch-dark heaven over the sea.  
  
"Oh no! A thunderstorm!" Phoebe said. In front of them the sun was still shining, but behind them had been brewing an alarming stormy front over the sea and it drew nearer rapidly.  
  
Kevin looked around. They were already a part away from his car. "Where have you parked your car?" he asked Phoebe.  
  
"It's still more than one mile away, I think. I won't be able to reach it, until the storm begins."  
  
The first raindrops already started to fall. Kevin looked around, when he finally saw something like a shelter not for away from the street. "Come!" he ordered and took her hand. Together they ran towards the shelter. The drops became denser and turned into a cloudburst.  
  
Finally they reached the shelter, which turned out to be some small cabins, standing side by side. The owners probably used them to store up their beach objects. In front of them was a wooden walk, which was covered. But because of the heavy wind, Kevin and Phoebe wer hardly protected from the rain. Phoebe tried to open one of the doors, but it was shut. She tried the next one but she didn't succeed. "Damn it!" she said. The temperature had dropped noticeable and she was cold wearing only a flimsy summer dress.  
  
"Perhaps I'll find a key, the owners probably hide them somewhere." Kevin grasped into a gap under the roof. While Phoebe tried to find a hidden key on the ground.  
  
Minutes later, Kevin found a key over a gap of a door. Triumphantly he showed it to Phoebe. "That's an emergency." he told her convinced. "You can't call it burglary." He tried the key and the door was open. Phoebe shrugged her shoulders. She was cold and wet and therefore she didn't care, if it was burglary or not. And finally nobody knew it. They entered the room. Inside there were all kind of utensils for the beach, from a sunshade over a volleyball net up to air mattress.  
  
"Are your clothes soaked?" Kevin asked her.  
  
Phoebe looked down at her dress. "You could wring it out." she told him grimly.  
  
Kevin started to check the things in the room. Finally he found a few towels and threw one of it to Phoebe. "Here!" he said and took off his shirt to dry himself.  
  
While Phoebe dried her hair, Kevin went on rummaging through the things. "Perhaps I'll find something to put on." he told her. Finally he took out a big woolen sailors pullover. He looked at it and gave it to Phoebe. "It isn't very modern," he grinned "and it smells a little bit musty, but it's warm and dry."  
  
Phoebe reluctantly took the pullover.  
  
"You should take off your dress." Kevin suggested her.  
  
You could be in for a long wait, she thought and watched the pullover. It looked scratchy, but Cole was right, she was terribly cold. When she looked up, she saw him still rummaging. So what, she groaned and took off her dress. She put on the pullover, which reached until her knees. She wrang out her dress and put it on a camping chair. Then she looked around and found an inflatable plastic island standing there. She sat down and wondered how the owner had managed to carry it into the room, because there was still enough air in it.  
  
Meanwhile Kevin had found an ice box with drinks. "Hey, watch this, they have also a minibar here. So what's about a cold drink." He smiled.  
  
Phoebe shivered with cold. "I would prefer a hot drink."  
  
He looked at her concerned. "You are still cold?" he looked around and found a blanket. "Wait a moment!" he took the blanket and walked to her. Then he sat beside her.  
  
"What's that supposed to become?" Phoebe asked suspiciously and pushed away to the other side of the island.  
  
Kevin raised appeasing his hands. "I only want that you are getting warm," he said and pulled the blanket around their shoulders. "Nothing more." he promised her innocently.  
  
Phoebe had got a funny feeling about it, but she didn't know, what she could say against it. It'll be over soon, she tried to encourage herself.  
  
Again a flash of lightning lighted up the room and a loud thunder followed. Phoebe winced hardly to notice, but it didn't escaped Kevin's notice, because he sat right beside her.  
  
"Are you afraid of thunderstorms?" he asked surprised.  
  
"No, not really. But here at the sea, a thunderstorm is always more intensive, and that isn't very pleasant."  
  
There was thunder and lightning again. "You are right, when I was in Seattle, I have also seen such a heavy thunderstorm once. I was in a restaurant at the water, when a lightening stroke into the power generator. Suddenly there wasn't electricity anymore. The light went out and some of the guests went hysterical. Fortunately in this moment the cook came out of his kitchen, cursing the whole time."  
  
"But why luckily?"  
  
"Well, he was absolutely outraged, that his wonderful dishes were ruined now. And he pretended to hold us responsible for that. One of the guests was so excited about that, that he picked a quarrel with the cook. It was really a great show. And nobody cared about the power failure anymore." Kevin had to smile, while he remembered the situation.  
  
"Yeah, a lot of people act strange while there's a thunderstorm." Phoebe said and told him about a thunderstorm in New York. She had had a meeting with an arrogant bank clerk, who had told her, that the bank wanted to call in her account, because of her permanent overdrafts. On their way down to the first floor, the elevator got stuck suddenly. It was only the bank clerk and her in it, but the banker started to panic. Finally the elevator had worked again and they had reached the first floor. The bank clerk promised her, that she could overdraft her account like she wants in future, if she didn't say a word about his panic reaction in the lift.  
  
Both started to laugh. "Oh yeah," Kevin said. "I know such bank clerks well enough."  
  
After a while he asked. "So you have lived in New York?"  
  
"Yes, for a while, I wanted to test it out."  
  
"And have you done it?"  
  
"Yes, I have. And then I went back to San Francisco." Phoebe answered.  
  
"And which town do you prefer?" he asked.  
  
They went on talking about Phoebe's experiences in New York, when they suddenly noticed that there was moving something. They looked above and saw, that the palm of the island had lost air. It tilted over slowly. "Oh no," Kevin said. "a palm wants to strike us down."  
  
Phoebe laughed, "Yes, we are really lucky today. Probably there is a puncture somewhere." she looked at the island, but couldn't find it.  
  
" We'll sit on the naked ground with a flat palm between us soon." Kevin told her.  
  
"Yes, but how long do we still have to last out here?" Phoebe groaned and watched out of the small window. The thunderstorm had blew over, but it was still raining heavily.  
  
Kevin had to laugh. "It's really hard for you, to be here with me, isn't it?"  
  
"No, of course not." she answered quickly and had to notice surprisingly, that it was the truth. She really enjoyed the last hour. He wasn't a demon anymore and didn't stalk her obsessively anymore. So it was a relaxed atmosphere between them. She turned to him and they looked at each other closer, they didn't say a word for a while. Kevin smiled a little and Phoebe felt that the atmosphere wasn't as relaxed as she had thought. Slowly, hardly noticeable their heads approached, until their lips could touch each other. The kiss was soft and hesitating in the beginning but became more intensive, passionate. For Kevin it was, as if he had found something, he always wanted. And in a special way, he had the feeling, that they belonged together.  
  
Phoebe brushed her nagging thoughts aside and flung her arms around him. She had nearly forgotten, how great it was to kiss him. She hugged him tighter, she felt his lips on her mouth, his hands in her hair and she could feel his heartbeat. She wanted to stop it in no case, but her nagging doubts increased. And the warning voice inside her started shouting. How could she do this? It was wrong, no matter how good it felt. She knew exactly, what would become of it. Grief, sorrow and a broken heart. If he was a mortal now or not, that wouldn't change anything. Abruptly she freed from him. He looked at her with an asking smile.  
  
"It's impossible, Cole." she said. "I don't want to go through it again, never." She stood up and went to the door slowly.  
  
Kevin jumped up too, and tried to hold her back. "Wait!" he said.  
  
She stopped and turned around.  
  
"I'm not Cole." he told her calmly.  
  
Phoebe walked back towards him with a sad smile on her face. She stopped in front of him and looked at him. "You are!" she said. "And you know it." She turned around and left the room without another word.  
  
Outside it was still raining, but that didn't matter, Phoebe thought and started to run. She wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. She had made a fault, no two, she corrected herself: To kiss him and to tell him that he was Cole. How could she have been so stupid? Perhaps he wouldn't believe her, she thought, but she didn't dare to hope for it. Damn it. In that moment she had to tell him that he was Cole, so that he understood. Although he would never understand, that their relationship won't work. No matter if he had his memory, or not, that wasn't the problem, he never wanted to understand, it was helpless. A demon and a witch, that was impossible, had always been, will always be. They had tried it hard, but they had failed. Even without their fault it had always ended in grief and sorrow, for both of them. The fate was against their relationship. It wouldn't change anything that he was a mortal now. Something would destroy their love again, and she wouldn't bear it once again.  
  
Not to mention the danger he had dragged her sisters and her into. No, she wouldn't allow him again to do this. She came to this decision a long time ago, and she wouldn't change it. And finally she couldn't forgive him so easily, she thought grimly. Really not, she heard an ironic voice in her head. No in no case, no matter if he could remember about it, or not. She was over him, without any doubts.  
  
Finally she couldn't go on running. She stopped to take a rest for a while and looked around. She was already a part away from the cabin and Cole didn't follow her. That was a good sign. The rain wasn't very heavy anymore, it was only drizzling. But her pullover was wet again nevertheless. Her pullover? Oh no, she was still wearing the old pullover and had forgotten her dress and her keys in the room, when she had left it. Desperately she looked back, butshe wanted to go back to the cabin in no case. She looked around, but she couldn't see anybody. The beach was empty. Okay, why not, she thought and called for Leo.  
  
A few seconds later, he appeared "Phoebe, what are you doing here?" he asked surprised and irritated. "What's going on?"  
  
"I'm soaking wet and I have lost my keys for the car." She explained. "Therefore I'm in an emergency and you have to help me. Take me home, otherwise I'll catch my death of cold."  
  
Leo couldn't oppose and took Phoebes hand. They orbed home together.  
  
In the meantime Kevin was standing in front of the cabin. He had followed Phoebe outside the room and watched her running away in the rain. He decided, that it wouldn't be a good idea to follow her. Everything was too confusing. He would know, that he was this Cole, really, he couldn't say that. It was right, that there was something between him an Phoebe.He had felt it from the first moment , when he had caught her on the square, he had felt a special tension. But he didn't know exactly, what it was. Okay, he could have fallen in love with her, that wasn't very difficult. She wasn't very friendly, but she was attractive. But he had told Helen the truth, really she wasn't his type. At least not in the last year and that wouldn't change even with amnesia, would it? Although she was a little bit crazy, interesting, mysterious, to cut a long story short special, and that attracted him most. She meant something to him that was more than simply being in love, he knew that, but he didn't understand it. He felt the impulse to protect her. That would be really a hard job, he thought amused. But if he wanted to protect her, he couldn't be Cole, or could he?  
  
Kevin shook his head and looked into the rain settling down. But he had felt one thing , when they had kissed each other, they both wanted more. He smiled satisfied. Who knows, what would have happened, if she hadn't stopped it. Surely there was a chance to change her opinion about him. They could solve their problems, without a doubt. And her boyfriend? No, he wasn't a great rival, that wouldn't be difficult. And who knows, if Helen brought something interesting to light, he wouldn't be a rival anymore. Convinced about it, he went back into the room. When he entered it, he saw her dress still hanging over a chair and her keys on the table. She had forgotten them, suddenly flashed into his mind. He had to bring it back as soon as possible. He slipped on his damp shirt and took Phoebe's things. He left the room and locked the door. After that, he put the key into the hidden place again.  
  
He thought, whether he should follow her way or go back to his car. He decided to go for his car and set off. It was still drizzling and he strode ahead easily.  
  
When Phoebe and Leo arrived at home, Piper was lucky to see him. But he had to go again after a short kiss. Piper looked behind him and muttered. "That is typical." she shook her head about her busy husband, when she suddenly looked at Phoebe "For heaven's sake Phoebe, what has happened to you, and what do you wear?"  
  
"I was caught in a thunderstorm at the beach." Phoebe tried to explain the situation, ignoring the question about her get up.  
  
"Poor honey." Piper said.  
  
"Is Paige at home?" Phoebe asked and looked around.  
  
"Yes, she is upstairs, why?"  
  
"Paige," Phoebe shouted and went to the small table standing in the floor. She took her second key out of a bowl.  
  
When Paige went downstairs, Phoebe had to tell her first, why she was so wet. Then she asked her to orb to the parking lot at the sea and take her car back home. She wanted to come along, but her sisters talked her out of it.  
  
"You should take a bath now." Piper suggested her considerately. Paige nodded and orbed out.  
  
Phoebe groaned. "You are probably right, I feel terribly cold." She went upstairs into the bathroom to run a bath. She hoped Paige would have driven the car away, soon enough, before Cole would arrive. It was feared, that he would look for her car, when he found the keys on the table. Probably he would feel obliged to return it to her, if he found her car on the parking lot. And she really didn't want to see him again this day. She wasn't in the mood to tell him, how she could have managed to get home without a car, no more than she wanted to tell her sisters anything about this story.  
  
She filled bath oil into the water and took off her clothes. She didn't know what to do with the pullover, probably nobody would miss it. But you never know, she thought and threw it into the laundry basket. She would think about it later. She climbed into the bath and laid back. She closed her eyes and relaxed. Unintentional she had to think about Cole's kiss. She could still taste his lips. She groaned and had to confess, that she had hoped, it would never end. She hold her breath and slid deeper into the water, until even her head was covered. Damn it, how could she have been so stupid, did she never learn? But no, already a long time ago, she decided that he wasn't good for her. She was over him and she didn't feel anything for him anymore. It was only the thunderstorm, she decided. This time she had acted strange during the storm, too, that was everything. There wasn't a meaning. And luckily she had had the good sense to stop it. So, there was no reason to worry.  
  
When Paige arrived at the parking lot, she didn't meet anybody, like she had thought. The only car that was still standing there was Phoebe's. She opened the door and got it. Finally she left the place, when a car came towards her. She wondered, that somebody wanted to go to the sea, while it was cold and raining. But she didn't care about it and went home.  
  
When Kevin arrived at the parking lot, he saw Phoebe's car starting. It seemed to him, as if somebody else was being at the controls. But he must have been wrong. He wondered, how she had managed to open and to start the car. But obviously she had found a way. He turned around and decided to drive home. 


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks for your reviews, I'm always glad to read your opinion about my story. This time it's a short chapter. But I'll continue soon.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"Wonderful!" Paige said, when she sat with her sisters at the breakfast table on Monday morning. "A week-end without demons."  
  
"Yes, you're right, but what shall we do with this Quasta?" Piper pointed out.  
  
"If we like it or not, I guess we'll have to wait until he'll take action the next time. And we'll try to be faster that time." Phoebe said.  
  
"I'm wondering, what the use of it was. I mean, what did Quasta get out of it?" Paige asked her sisters.  
  
Phoebe nodded. "There was no point in keeping her alive. He had the chance to kill her."  
  
Piper looked at her and said. "Perhaps you have disturbed him early enough."  
  
"No, I don't think so. He has had enough time to kill her before I arrived. But it seems to me, that he wasn't interested in it."  
  
"I hope Debra is fine again. It must be hard to loose a part of your past." Paige mentioned.  
  
"By the way 'past'. Did Cole already get into touch with you?" Piper changed the subject.  
  
"Cole?" Phoebe swallowed the wrong way and had to cough. "Whatever makes you think of that?"  
  
Piper and Paige looked at her sceptically. "Well, I can't imagine, that he had changed so much, that he leaves the matter aside."  
  
"Which matter?" Phoebe asked and looked shocked. Where did they know from, that she had met him on Friday? Did she blab out anything? Phoebe brooded, when Piper continued "He probably wants to know, what has happened to Debra or why you have been there."  
  
"Oh that!" Phoebe said in relief. "He called me and I cleared it up."  
  
"Really and how?" Paige joined in the conversation again.  
  
"I explained him everything." Phoebe said, while Paige and Piper looked at her impatiently. "I have told him, that I'm a medium and that I had to rescue the woman." she looked at her sister smugly.  
  
"What?" they yelled simultaneous, "Are you crazy?"  
  
"Why? You can calm down, he didn't believe a word of it. He thinks I'm a little bit mad, ought to be certified." Phoebe laughed.  
  
"How can you be so sure of it?" Paige wasn't convinced.  
  
"I'm positive about it. It was written all over his face."  
  
"I thought he had called you!" Piper added.  
  
Phoebe groaned "Don't take everything word-to-word. Well then, I heard it." She saw, that her sisters weren't convinced of this answer. So she tried it again. "He didn't believe in supernatural at all."  
  
"Oh, is that so?" Paige asked sarcastically.  
  
To calm them down, Phoebe told them about Cole's visit to the psychiatrist. "You see, he didn't even believe in rebirth. You really don't have to worry."  
  
"You've got to watch him, Phoebe. We have to be careful. Okay, Cole isn't a demon anymore, but he is a reporter now." Piper pointed out, and her look showed, that that was awful enough.  
  
"There isn't a problem, Piper. I won't see him again." Phoebe told her convinced. Unfortunately she knew that it wasn't the truth. She was glad, that she hasn't heard anything of him yet, but she knew, that he would take her back her things. And to her dismay, she remembered that she had told him, that he was Cole. He wouldn't let that rest. Phoebe decided not to bother her sisters with it, they already worried enough about her. Suddenly she had to sneeze.  
  
"Bless you!" Paige said.  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
"You probably caught a cold while your adventure on Friday." Piper meant.  
  
"Yes, unfortunately it seems so. I haven't got time for it right now." Phoebe said disgruntled and took a handkerchief.  
  
"You should drink a hot citron." Piper suggested helpfully. "It can work wonders."  
  
"Yeah, that's a good idea." Phoebe was glad, that the subject wasn't Cole anymore, but her cold.  
  
"Will you still go to work?" Paige wanted to know.  
  
"Of course, it's not that bad." Phoebe said. Other problems were much worse.  
  
All the weekend, Kevin tried not to think about Phoebe or Cole. Slowly he got used to it, he thought cynically. He wasn't sure, if he was really Cole. Although it could be logical, or couldn't it? There was still a time problem, finally he couldn't have been in two towns at the same time. Kevin decided not to rack his brain over questions, he could ask Phoebe directly. He had sent her dress to the cleaners and decided to give her things back to her on Monday. Because he preferred to meet her in the paper and not at home.  
  
On Monday at the first free moment he took the phone. He hoped that Phoebe would be in her office. He dialed her number and was lucky, that she was already there.  
  
"Hello Phoebe, here is.." he stopped shortly and decided on "Kevin."  
  
"Oh Hi," she said unhappy, she had known it, at least he only called. "What do you want?"  
  
Well, that didn't sound very enthusiastic, Kevin thought, but he wouldn't let it put him off. "How are you? Do you have a lot of work today?"  
  
What was he playing at? Phoebe wondered. But alright, so she didn't have to think of a better excuse. "Yes, recently I'm really very busy!" and you are disturbing me, she thought and hoped that her brusque tone made it clear to him. But it didn't seem so.  
  
"Okay, but will you have some time to meet me today?"  
  
"No, I'm sorry, but I have no time."  
  
"But we should meet. Some time next week." Why did he sound so imploring, he wondered angrily.  
  
"I think that's a bad idea." She tried to brush him off.  
  
"But we have to talk!" He declared. What was she thinking about?  
  
"I don't know about what." She told him categorically.  
  
She wasn't serious, was she? Probably she had only a bad day today, he tried to calm down. "I have some questions, and I want to give you back your things, you have left in the cabin."  
  
"Oh, my things. Well, you know, you can send them to me."  
  
"Send?"  
  
"Yes, I'll pay the postage of course."  
  
"The postage, really?" Kevin couldn't believe his ears. "That's a relief, thank goodness!" he said cynically, that was getting more and more peculiar.  
  
Phoebe used the following pause to tell Kevin, who was still confused "Well, I have to work now." And without another word she hanged up.  
  
"Phoebe?" he said surprised, but he could only hear the noise in the line. Wow, that was a rebuff, he never met before. He wondered what was biting her. But no matter what, he wouldn't give up that easily. He already wanted to call her again, when he changed his mind. Next time he would drop in in person. Then he could see, what was the problem. If she really thought, that he was her violent ex-husband, they would sort it out. He needed answers, she had to accept that. He had the right to know, who he was and she knew everything. Therefore she had to answer his questions, that was obvious, he thought grimly.  
  
He took Phoebe's journal and searched for the address of the paper. When he found it, he remembered something. He looked at his calendar. Yes, there it was. Tomorrow morning he'll have an appointment with a scientist for an interview about a research project. By change the building was quite near to the Bay Mirror. He smiled, she wouldn't get rid of him so easily. After his interview, he would drop by at her office. To send her things? She was joking of course. Probably he only called her at the wrong moment.  
  
When Phoebe didn't hear anything of Cole anymore, she drew a deep breath. Perhaps her flat refusal was off-putting for him. She couldn't imagine, but who knows, perhaps he became more reasonable because of his amnesia. She groaned, that was only wishful thinking. Finally he was a reporter now, therefore he would be as stubborn as before. But she could handle him. 


	11. Chapter 11

Here is the next chapter, I hope you'll like it!  
  
Chapter 11  
  
The next day Kevin was in a very good mood. The interview ran great. The physician was an interesting person and Kevin enjoyed it to talk to him. He gave Kevin a lot of important information and news, he could use for his article. Kevin would have a successful day today, he knew it. And he would be able to lead a normal conversation with Phoebe. Optimistically he entered the building of the Bay Mirror.  
  
Phoebe has slept badly this night, because her cold got worse. She felt lousy, she only wanted to do the essentials and then she wanted to go home and lay to bed. When her office door opened, she looked up. To her horror, she saw Cole. Oh no, she thought, that was all she needed. Today she really had no energy to play his games. And above all, how did she look like, like a scarecrow, her nose was red and her eyes puffed. But that was totally irrelevant, she couldn't care less, she thought grimly.  
  
"Hello, your colleague Heather," he looked back with a smile. "Showed me your office." He shut the door and sat down, although she hasn't offered him a seat.  
  
Wonderful, the gossip monger Heather, Phoebe thought. Heather worked here for half a year, but she already knew all personal problems and all privat things about her colleagues. Phoebe guessed that she also knew something about Cole, but not how he looked like. Hopefully, otherwise Heather would spread it around and things would be going from bad to worse.  
  
They sat facing one another, when Kevin started to talk again, because Phoebe didn't say a word. "Well I wanted to bring your things back." He gave her her dress and the keys.  
  
She took them and said. "Thanks, but I have told you, that it wasn't necessary to take them here in person, you could have sent it."  
  
"Don't mention it." Kevin made a disparaging gesture. "I knew, that you weren't serious."  
  
"But I meant it."  
  
"Really? I thought it was a joke. Especially after last Friday."  
  
Phoebe looked at him furiously. Who did he think he was?  
  
"Tell me, how could you manage to drive away without your key?" Kevin wondered.  
  
"My second key is always in my car. And I left the window open a little bit." She was always surprised, that she came up with such lies that fast.  
  
"But that is very risky." Kevin pointed out. He had been right, it was really a hard job to protect her.  
  
"Oh it already happened once or twice that I lost my keys and that is the best solution for this problem."  
  
"And nobody has stolen your car yet?" he asked disbelieving.  
  
"No!" Phoebe said and had to sneeze.  
  
Kevin looked at her and noticed, that she looked ill. "Are you ill?" he asked concerned.  
  
"No, it's only a cold. And of course you can imagine, what's the reason for it." she answered angrily, and she also knew, who was responsible for her cold.  
  
As if he could read her mind, he said. "It wasn't necessary for you to run to your car, while there was still heavy rain."  
  
"No, it wouldn't have been necessary, if you hadn't made a pass at me." Phoebe blurted out.  
  
He laughed disbelieving. "Come on. That was a completely different matter!"  
  
"Really? Perhaps for you, not for me!" she hissed.  
  
"Cut it out! It was a harmless kiss, and you wanted it, too, you can't deny it."  
  
"I think you should go." she ordered him.  
  
Yeah, that would be great. "Sorry," he said ironically. "First we have to sort out some things." He looked at her and noticed, that she felt uneasy. Therefore he added. "It has nothing to do with our kiss. The point is, that you have said," he stopped short "that I'm Cole." Well, it seemed that she felt even worse. So the kiss wasn't the problem.  
  
Phoebe didn't say a word and tried to calm down. Finally she said. "Forget it!"  
  
"I can't forget it, you have to understand it." Kevin tried to convince her.  
  
"It just slipped out." she said lamely.  
  
"But you really meant it, I felt it." He looked at her begging. "So, am I Cole?"  
  
Phoebe thought about what she could do. It wouldn't be very helpful to continue denying everything. "I really don't know it." she finally answered.  
  
"Okay!" that was at least a beginning, Kevin thought. "Your sisters told me, that he had an accident last year in spring."  
  
"Mm .. yes."  
  
"And that it was a fatal accident."  
  
Silence.  
  
"And the accident was really in spring?" he asked again. "Have you been on his funeral?"  
  
Phoebe didn't know, what to do. If he started to investigate, he would probably find out, that Cole Turner hadn't been buried but vanished. And that happened already in the beginning of last year.  
  
"What kind of accident was it?" He went on asking.  
  
She looked at him angrily, why couldn't he stop it?  
  
"Listen Phoebe, if you have anything to do with this accident, don't worry. I promise you, I'm not interested in it. That doesn't matter anymore, I'm alive after all." He tried to calm her, but it didn't work.  
  
Phoebe looked at him horrified. What made him think of that, she wondered. Piper was right, she had to be cautious, finally he was a reporter. But there was no need to worry about his 'accident'. It would be impossible for him to find out anything about it. Whether that the sisters were responsible for his so-called death nor anything else. But nevertheless she didn't want that he would investigate about his disappearance. But then she remained something, what could act as a deterrent. "Well, we really had nothing to do with it. And to be honest, it wasn't a real accident. Suddenly he vanished into thin air. And everybody thought, that he was dead." She told him hesitating.  
  
"And why?"  
  
"Well, because ... well ... he had tried to commit suicide before. And we thought this attempt was successful."  
  
"Successful? .. Oh!" He looked at her and didn't know, if he should believe her, or not. He couldn't imagine, that he was a man, who would try to commit suicide. But that didn't matter now, he decided, he had to find out, if he was Cole. "And when did he disappear?"  
  
"Sometime in the beginning of last year." Phoebe confessed.  
  
"Okay!" he said calmly. "Then it is possible, that he is still alive and that it's me." He looked at her directly. "And you are convinced that it's me."  
  
She didn't answer but said resolute. "It is better for you to live a new life."  
  
"That isn't you decision, that's up to me" he told her furiously. "And if I'm Cole, I would like to know it, can't you understand that?"  
  
"I only wanted to give you advice." she sighed. "And you could also be somebody else."  
  
"But you have to know, who I am. You were married with Cole."  
  
"That's got nothing to do with it." she explained.  
  
"But you can't tell me, that you wouldn't recognize him, you finally lived with him."  
  
"Perhaps it was impossible to know him, perhaps I don't want to awake bad memories." she snapped at him.  
  
Kevin looked at her thoughtfully, he didn't want that, but he had to know it. "But you have recognized me." he stated resolutely.  
  
Phoebe didn't want to deny it any longer, it wasuseless anyhow. "Yeah, it's possible." She said and looked interested at the wall next to him.  
  
He watched her a little dismayed. He always wanted to know it, but it was always a little bit frightening, too. Now he knew why. "Okay, then you can answer me a few questions." he said calmly.  
  
Phoebe looked at him again and said coldly. "If you are really Cole, you'll have to remember everything on your on. I won't help you."  
  
"I don't want to know any private or personal matters of you, only general ones, like what's my profession? Where did I grow up? Who are my parents are they still alive? Do I have brothers or sisters? When is my birthday and yes especially how old am I? It wont be too difficult for you to answer these questions." He looked at her expecting.  
  
If you would know, Phoebe thought.  
  
Because she didn't say a word, Kevin asked. "Did nobody try to find me? Family or friends?" Of course not you, he thought angrily  
  
"No, sorry, but you didn't have any friends." she told him harshly.  
  
"Really?" he couldn't believe it. No friends? He must have been a strange person.  
  
"Definitely nobody I knew. And the other one's I wouldn't call friends." she added coldly.  
  
There he remembered something. "Tell me," he started carefully. "Have I been a criminal?"  
  
"Criminal? What makes you think of it?" Phoebe asked in surprise.  
  
"I don't know, I had an odd feeling about it. I found a lot of money and everything else, but it's a relief that it isn't true." he said and didn't notice that she hadn't told him, that he wasn't a criminal. "And my family?" he asked instead.  
  
"Well, your parents are dead."  
  
"Oh," he said. "Can you tell me anything about them?"  
  
Well, your mother killed your father more than 100 years ago. She was a demon, you have to know, you were still a little boy in those days and you have seen it. So you can imagine, how old you are. Otherwise I don't know much about your parents, she thought, but didn't say anything. But she couldn't help laughing, despite the lousy situation it was funny, too.  
  
He looked at her furiously. Why did she laugh at it? "What is so funny about it?" he asked angrily, slowly she got him going.  
  
"I'm sorry, but you have to go." she told him, still grinning.  
  
"And when do you deign to answer my questions?" he asked moody.  
  
"Never!" she told him absolutely convinced.  
  
"You aren't serious, are you? I have the right to know it." he told her, not believing, what he was hearing.  
  
"But I won't tell you anything."  
  
She was driving him spare, no wonder, that he had tried to commit suicide. But no, the better solution was to kill her. Why hadn't he choose it? She was so complacent, that was unbearable. "You don't say?" he jumped up and leaned his hands on the table. He leaned forward and watched her angrily. "You will tell me!" he told her menacing.  
  
What was he thinking of? Did he mean, that she would be intimidated by him. Probably he would like that, but not her. She stood up slowly and moved into the same position. "I doubt it very much!"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
They were facing each other like fighting cocks.  
  
"If you don't tell me, I'll have to investigate on my own. Who knows, what I'll bring to light." he said with a harmless grin.  
  
"Should that be a threat?" she asked in an aggressive tone.  
  
"No, a fact!"  
  
They went on starring at each other, and nobody wanted to be the first looking down. The atmosphere in the office was electric, when suddenly the door opened and Heather appeared. "Oh!" she stopped in the door. "I don't want to disturbe." She said sweet as sugar.  
  
"Not at all!" Phoebe said, that was all she needed. But she was happy, that she finally could look away from Cole. "He just wanted to go."  
  
"Did he want?" Kevin asked cynically.  
  
"I'll come back later, if it doesn't suit you."  
  
"No, Heather, it's okay." Kevin told her gently. "I'll go now." He went to the door and turned around to Phoebe. "We'll continue our conversation at the right moment."  
  
You've got a long wait coming, Phoebe thought and saw to her relief, that he finally left her office.  
  
"Who was that?" Heather asked curiously, while she looked behind him.  
  
"Nobody important." Phoebe answered. She wondered, if Heather really believed, that she would tell her anything about it. "So what do you want?"  
  
Busy Heather took out her documents and had her own thoughts about it.  
  
When Heather had left her office, Phoebe was still angry about Cole. But the rage was a good feeling, much better than the other one's. She sighed, what would her sisters say, if they heard about it. Phoebe hoped, that she hadn't blabbed out too much. And that he would give up soon. But she knew that it was an unrealistic wish. She wondered, if he would carry out his threat and start to investigate on his own. Surely, but could he find out anything interesting? She didn't think so, but she needed relief. She took the phone and called Darryls number. He wasn't at his office at the moment, but he would be there in an hour. Phoebe looked at her watch. She would be ready with her work within an hour. On her way back home, she would drop in the police station.  
  
When Kevin / Cole (who was he actually? This thought suddenly occurred to him) entered his office, he slowly had calmed down. Despite their controversy he had felt the electricity in the air. He would have liked to .... Oh no, did they have such kind of relationship, did row turn they on? He wondered and wasn't very keen on this imagination. Okay it was thrilling, but not enough for a marriage. But that was his opinion today, and he didn't know, what he had thought about it before. No wonder, that she wanted a divorce. And he couldn't accept it, yes, that was possible. But nevertheless, he wouldn't try to kill himself, no never. He shook his head, it was too chaotic.  
  
He decided to take his attention away to another issue. He took out his notes from his interview and started to read. It would be better to write the article first. He would get a clear head and after it, it would be easier to find out something about his former life.  
  
Early afternoon, Phoebe arrived at the police station. She wanted to tell Darryl, that Cole was still alive. Otherwise, he could meet him by chance that wasn't unusual for policemen and journalists. And Darryl could unintentionally tell him something, Cole shouldn't get to know. She found Darryl in his office. After they talked about general things, Phoebe told him, that Cole had turned up again.  
  
"What? Again? But I thought he is dead."  
  
"No, unfortunately he isn't. But the good thing about it is, that he has lost his memory and he isn't a demon anymore."  
  
Darryl looked at her sceptically "And that is really the truth?"  
  
"Yes, it is. And he won't remember anything, never."  
  
"And why are you so sure about it?" he asked.  
  
"Trust me, it won't happen anything." she smiled at him.  
  
"Okay, when you say so. But why are you here?" he wondered.  
  
"First, I wanted to tell you about it, that you won't get a shock, if you see him again. And second" she stopped shortly. "he is a reporter now."  
  
"Oh really? Hard to believe." Darryl frowned.  
  
"Yes, and there is another problem. Unfortunately I have told him more or less, that he is Cole." Phoebe looked at him excusing. "And now he wants to find out more about it."  
  
"Mm, sorry, but I still can't believe it." Darryl told her not concentrating.  
  
"Yeah, that was the same with us at first. But Darryl, tell me, are there still documents about him? I mean, is it possible for him to get examination of records?"  
  
"Mm" he thought about it, "I have tried to make a note of 'confidential' in the margin of all records about your family and Cole. Therefore unauthorized persons won't be given access to this records."  
  
Phoebe drew a deep breath. "That's a relief."  
  
"Yes its impossible for him." Darryl agreed. "We always try to to improve our security measures. We have the best software and optimize it continuously."  
  
"So he won't manage it without supernatural powers. Thanks Darryl, you really helped me." They said goodbye and Phoebe went home, a little bit more relaxed.  
  
After Cole had finished his article, he tried to findout something about Cole Turner. That was more difficult, than he thought. He found out, that he had worked for the district attorney's office. But there were still a lot of contradictions. All records about him, had the note 'confidential', therefore he had no chance to read them. In the last time, he had worked as a lawyer. He couldn't imagine, that he had really worked as a lawyer. But that wasn't his problem at the moment. He found out too, that he stopped going to work last January.  
  
It all added up. Cole vanished at the same time, he appeared in Seattle. He looked like Cole and there was no denying that he had a kind of relation to Phoebe. It couldn't be pure chance. Fact the facts, he had to accept that he was Cole Turner. He had no idea, how he came to Seattle, but he was the only one, who knew it. He looked at his watch. Today he would go home, he decided. He could try to find out more about it tomorrow. 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
When Cole woke up next morning, he amusingly noticed, that he had had a strange dream about one of his former lives. He had been sitting on a horse in a deep forest. He had looked to the sky, when he had seen Phoebe flying on a magic brush to the moon. On her head she had had a witch hat. Everything was quite ordinary, but a lot of things seemed to be ordinary in a dream. He wondered, what the dream supposed to be, and grinned. That was all nonsense. Although he couldn't deny, that Phoebe had a lot of a witch, but a witch on a brush?  
  
Perhaps he should go to the psychiatrist again, she could take him back to one of his past lives, he thought ironically. Probably she would find out the reason for his amnesia. Without doubt he got a shock, when he found out, that his wife was a witch, and therefore he lost his memory. He shook his head, such a rubbish, luckily he didn't believe anything of it. Probably the last days encouraged his fantasy too much. That was everything.  
  
He went to his dining table at the window and sat down, when it was ringing at the door. It was Peter, who limped into the apartment.  
  
"What has happened?" Cole asked, when he saw his friend.  
  
"Don't ask me." Peter sat down at the table. "One of Helen's stupid investigations again." He laid his bandaged leg on the chair next to him.  
  
"Come on, tell me!" Cole said, while he was still standing.  
  
Peter looked around. "Don't you have anything to eat? I'm starving. Then I'll tell you everything."  
  
Cole put a box with donuts on the table and took a third chair.  
  
"Donuts, so early in the morning?"  
  
"There is a shop around the corner." Cole pointed to the direction.  
  
"Great, we really have a nice neighbourhood." Peter took the box and looked interested at the label. "We have really chosen a great district, haven't we?"  
  
"Peter!" Cole meant impatiently. "You wanted to tell me, what happened yesterday."  
  
"Yes, you are right." he put the box back on the table and leaned back. "Okay, we wanted to visit one of Helens fictitious companies. An informer had told her about it. It was a factory, producing arms, ammunition and so on. I couldn't imagine, that such a plant doesn't exist, I didn't see the point of it. But no, she didn't want to listen. So we went there yesterday night. We climbed over the fences and wanted to reach the factory. But soon we noticed, that it was a real factory and we wanted to make a quick getaway. But suddenly there were watchmen and watchdogs. Luckily we were quite close to the fence, but one of the stupid dogs got hold of me. The wound looks really bad and it hurts like hell."  
  
"That's too bad." Cole said ironically. "That means, that Helen's informant had coned her?"  
  
"Thanks for your sympathy. No, it was a fishy business, but we don't know, if it has anything to do with Helen's investigations." Peter took another donut. "Enough of that. What about you, how are you?"  
  
"Good." Cole answered, although it wasn't the whole truth.  
  
"But you don't look like that." Peter noticed.  
  
Cole looked at him warning.  
  
"Okay, no problem." Peter said quickly. "Something else, could I ask you something?"  
  
"Fire away!"  
  
"Well, I should go to this charity ball Friday night. But I'm not the right man for it with my feet."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that. You probably looked forward to go there." Cole said sarcastically, because he knew, that his friend detested having to go to balls.  
  
"But Helen is responsible for it. It wasn't my fault." Peter justified himself. "How about?"  
  
"How about what?"  
  
"Well, would you go with her?"  
  
Cole thought about it, why not, it could be a nice change. "Okay, I'll go with her, if she wants to."  
  
"Oh great, that takes a load of my mind. Helen was very annoyed." relaxed he leaned back.  
  
They were silent for a while, when Cole began to speak again. "Tell me, Peter, supposed somebody has amnesia. Do you think he has the same feelings for people before and after his amnesia?"  
  
Peter looked at him and stated. "Oh I see, Phoebe Halliwell!"  
  
"I don't talk about me!" Cole answered. "I mean it only ... hypothetically."  
  
"Oh, hypothetically!"  
  
"Can't you be serious, only once?"  
  
"What? Oh yes, okay. I don't know. How should I know?"  
  
"Just imagine! If you hate somebody before you loose your memory, will you still hate him?"  
  
Peter thought about it. "Well, if somebody hurt you and after it you don't know anything about it anymore, you won't probably hate him."  
  
That didn't help Cole very much and he was silent.  
  
Peter took compassion and went on philosophizing. "I think you find the same people attractive, but if the love had increased slowly, your trust in your partner is certainly gone."  
  
"Grown love, that sounds like an old married couple." Cole said completely bored.  
  
"Don't say so, if I lost all memories I have with Helen, it wouldn't be the same."  
  
"But you would still love her."  
  
"I don't know." Peter explained thoughtfully. "In the beginning, we didn't like each other very much."  
  
"Really?" Cole couldn't believe it.  
  
"We first fell in love, after we better got to know each other. Therefore, if I had the same opportunity to get to know her, of course, I would love her again, but otherwise, I don't know. Does it help you?"  
  
"No!" Oddly enough, from the first moment, he met her, he knew, that he knew her. There was a familiarity between them, he couldn't describe.  
  
"It's because of her, isn't it?" Peter asked. "Do you feel anything for her?"  
  
"Mm, I wouldn't claim that." Cole said, he didn't want to talk about her and added. "It's very complicated."  
  
"Because she thinks you are her ex-husband."  
  
"For example." Cole didn't want to tell him, that he believed it, too. He looked at his watch and stood up. "Enough of that. Let's go."  
  
Actually Peter wanted to hear more about it, but he knew, that he won't get anything else out of Kevin. If he wanted, he could be very reserved, Peter thought.  
  
In the afternoon, when Cole was sitting in his office, he took the phone. He decided to call Phoebe once again. Because he hoped, that she would be more communiative than last time. When she picked up the phone, he answered in his new, old name. It was still strange for him to use it. He heard her suffering sigh.  
  
"Are you at it again?" she asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your continuous calls." she explained arrogantly.  
  
"Oh my two continuous calls, without any reason." he said sarcastically.  
  
"Yes, they were unfounded."  
  
"I don't want to pursue you or to bother you. I want nothing of you, I only need some answers." he told her annoyed.  
  
She couldn't hold back and remarked saucy. "I thought you wanted to investigate on your own." It was probably a fruitless enterprise, she thought satisfied.  
  
"I want to hear it from you." he said calmly.  
  
"I already told you, that you won't hear anything."  
  
"Don't you think that is unfair?"  
  
"No, that's my decision. I don't want to hear about it." Phoebe said and hanged up.  
  
This arrogant, complacent, silly bitch. Cole could hardly believe it. It was his right to ask some questions, he was convinced about it. But he wouldn't call her again, he was too proud to do it ever again. What was she thinking about? He shook his head frustrated. But then he remembered another way to find out more about himself. He took out his directory and found the number, he was searching for.  
  
When he lived in Seattle Cole wanted to make inconspicuously inquiries by the police. For this purpose he went to the shady part of Seattle. To his surprise, he got along very well. He hadn't any problems, that a lot of peoplewere criminals there. It was more important, what kind of crime it was. While one of his visits there, he met a very clever hacker, who called himself Cyber. His service was expensive, but he was an expert. The snag was, that he only worked for people he trusted. And he only accepted orders, he could approve. He had his own ethical standards. But he trusted Cole soon, and he helped him to get the information of the police, Cole wanted to know. Later, when Cole was already working for the paper, he asked for his help, too.  
  
Cole took the phone and dialed the number, he knew, that Cyber would help him. Even if he had to crack the police computer.  
  
After his call, Cole leaned back satisfied. He was right, Cyber had agreed to help him, but it would need some time. Cole had to be patient. That was hard, but much better, than to wait, until his bitchy ex-wife would condescended to talk to him. If he knew more about himself, he would have the possibility to talk to his former employers or his landlord. At the moment, it wasn't such a good idea, because he didn't know, how they would react, if he appeared suddenly. First he wanted to know more about himself.  
  
After Phoebe had brushed Cole off, the phone was ringing again. That couldn't be true, she thought angrily and answered. Surprisingly it was Philip, who wanted to invite her to a charity ball on Friday.  
  
Phoebe couldn't believe it, because last time, he had the opinion, that her conduct wasn't adequate. So she had thought that he wouldn't ask her again. And she wasn't very sad about it.  
  
"Well, Philip, I don't know if I'm the right person for a charity ball. Remember last time." she pointed out.  
  
"But you are the right person, my dear. Last time that was only an accident. And everybody was impressed about your naturalness."  
  
Really? Phoebe thought about it. Actually she kept him distance the last time, because she had accepted, that it couldn't become a closer friendship. She wanted to cool it off slowly. It was time to look for a new man in her life, and perhaps on the ball ... "Okay, if you want to invite me, I'll be pleased to come with you." she told him firmly.  
  
She knew, that he would talk to his colleagues and other important persons the whole time. So it won't be a problem to go her own way there. It was a nice chance to meet a new man, she thought satisfied. And it was the possibility to wipe Cole out of her memory.  
  
###########################  
  
AN: I know Phoebe is a little bit bitchy lately, but I think she had to act this way. And it was fun to write it and I hope to read it, too. But don't worry for the future. 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
  
Until Friday Cole didn't hear anything of Cyber. But he didn't care about it, because Cyber had told him, that it would take some time. Cole compelled himself not to go on thinking about his former life. Brooding too much, would drive him mad. Luckily he wasn't tempted to call Phoebe. He would prefer to wait for ages, before he would call her again. He lived with this situation more than a year, now he could still wait a little bit, until he would finally reach his goal. He was convinced, the more he would hear about his former life the more he would remember on his own. But he couldn't force it, that's something he had already learnt.  
  
He looked forward to the ball on Friday. When he rang at his neighbor's door, Helen was already ready. She wore a blue sleeveless dress and had put up her hair to an ingenious hairstyle. "Hey, Peter. Do you really let her go alone with me?"  
  
"Sure, all old people on the ball will watch over her." Peter told him composed. He kissed Helen goodbye. "Have a good time. Unfortunately I have to sit on the sofa and watch TV. That's too bad."  
  
Cole and Helen left the apartment. On their way to the ball, Helen told him the news about her current investigations. She had found out, that nearly all spendings for social interests flowed into fictive companies or organisations. Therefore the situation for the poorer districts was disastrous. The people were desperate and crime increased.  
  
"But why does nothing of this corruption come out?"  
  
"Most people think that this situation is normal. And our friends steadily organize charity balls, and the give flows into their pockets, too."  
  
"Nevertheless I can't believe, that nobody finds out about it."  
  
"Well just imagine. Most people give money to ease their conscience. But they don't care, where the money flows. That is very easy, especially on such charity balls." Helen said.  
  
Sometimes Helen was really very cynical, Cole thought, but didn't say a word, but asked. "And is that the reason, why you want to go to this ball?"  
  
"Yes, I want to see, how it works. And I want to see the people, who are involved in it. But I don't understand yet, what the arm factory has to do with it." She groaned. "But next Monday I'll have an appointment with my informant, who told me about the Deacon Factory. I just hope she won't climb down."  
  
"Don't worry, that won't happen twice." Cole tried to calm her down.  
  
In front of the Halliwell Manor Phoebe waited impatiently for her companion. When Philip arrived, he looked at her disbelieving. "You look ... grand tonight." he said ingratiating. "But don't you think red is a little bit ... risqué?"  
  
"Why? Don't you like my dress?" Phoebe looked down and was satisfied. She had decided to attract attention tonight. "I think it's perfect, a cheerful red on a charity ball." She smiled at him.  
  
"Okay, if you think so. But it's time, let's go."  
  
It was crawling with people on the ball, Cole brought Helen a glass of champagne and she showed him the most important people. "This one in the back, the fat man, that's Harold Fleisher, he is the director of the department, that is responsible for all this social spending. And the small thin woman with the puffed-up lips is his wife. The thin tall man there with the terrible tie works in that department, too. And the small one there as well."  
  
Cole looked to the two men and recognized to his dismay that the small man was Phoebe's friend Philip Hartman. And Phoebe was standing beside him. Unfortunately she looked gorgeous in a blood-red dress with a deep neckline.  
  
"Hello, don't you listen to me?" Helen asked beside him.  
  
"Phoebe is here." Cole just said and continued watching her. She laughed and it seemed as if she had a great time, wonderful! Helen didn't know what or whom he meant and looked into the same direction. She thought, that she had seen the woman in the red dress before, when she remembered, that it was Kevin's ex-wife. He looked at her mesmerised.  
  
"Hey" Helen tried to divert him. "Do you want to dance?"  
  
That really diverted him. "Dancing? Oh no, I don't think that's a good idea."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I'm not a great dancer." he explained and smiled in excuse.  
  
"Rubbish, I don't believe you. Let's go." She took his hand and tugged him to the dance floor.  
  
He sighed, if Helen determined to do something, nobody would be able to stop her. "But don't wail after it, because I stepped on your feet."  
  
"Leave that to me." As Helen had expected, he wasn't such a bad dancer and she enjoyed the dance.  
  
Things didn't develop as successful as Phoebe wanted. She had to talk with Philip's boring colleagues and waited for the chance to get rid of him. As soon as possible she excused herself and walked to the dance floor. Perhaps a young attractive man would ask her for a dance.  
  
She walked to the dance floor and watched the dancing people, when she noticed something unpleasant. Cole and Helen were dancing there. Phoebe tried to ignore them, but both were tall and therefore they rose above the crowd. They laughed and it seemed that they had a good time. Phoebe was seething, but why did she care about it? She had always suggested him to move on, to live his own life. So she should be happy about it, she thought and groaned. But did it have to be in front of her nose? She looked around, but she couldn't find an attractive young man, whom she could pay her attention. There was only an old lady beside her. "Well, the youth!" she sighed.  
  
"What?" Phoebe asked politely.  
  
"The youth. I mean, it's the best time in life. Look this young couple there." she showed to Cole and Helen. "They are so beautiful and they seem to be in love."  
  
Phoebe smiled forced and wanted to strangle the old woman.  
  
"You know, when I was young, I could dance the night away, my Walter and me ..."  
  
With a stony expression Phoebe wasn't listening anymore and tried desperately to ignore Cole and Helen, but it was rather difficult. And he had told her, that he wasn't a good dancer, if that could have changed because of his amnesia, she wondered grimly. The woman had finally finished her boring story. She smiled at Phoebe and said friendly. "But I only bore you, your young Romeo is probably waiting desperately for you."  
  
The chance to escape. "Yes, he does. And I don't want to keep him waiting, I'm sorry. It was nice to meet you."  
  
"It was nice to meet you, too." The old lady looked at the dance floor again. "Well the youth."  
  
Phoebe escaped quickly to the balcony. It took up the whole lengths of the building. The ballroom was in the center of the building and on the left and the right side were passages with wardrobes. Together they led on one side to the entrance hall and on the other side to the balcony. In the center of the balcony were a lot of people, because the doors there led into the ballroom. In the left and the right corner it was emptier.  
  
Phoebe chose the left corner of the balcony. There were only two men standing in the darkest part. They had a lively conversation but stopped talking, when Phoebe came closer. They looked at her, as if she would disturb them. But Phoebe didn't care about it, if they wanted to be alone, they should go somewhere else, she thought in a bad mood. She stopped quite near to them and leaned over the balustrade. She took a deep breath of the fresh air and calmed down. It was absurd to be jealous because of Cole. She didn't want anything of him. She had decided to meet a new man, but he queered her pitch. She wasn't in the mood to look for men anymore. The men behind her slunk off angrily. Phoebe didn't care, she was alone and watched the stars glittering on the dark sky. She heard babble of voices and laughter from the center of the balcony. She sighed, she wasn't in the mood to go to the funny crowd again. She preferred to be alone. But to her regret she suddenly heard steps behind her and a voice was saying "Hello Phoebe!"  
  
Cole had watched Phoebe standing near the dance floor. He didn't know, if she had seen him, too, because an old lady monopolized her. When she left, he had followed her red dress until it disappeared on the balcony. When he left the dance floor together with Helen, she wanted to refresh herself and he decided to follow Phoebe to the balcony.  
  
Phoebe turned around. "Hello Cole, you are here, too?" she asked innocently. He looked so good, she had got to hand it to him.  
  
"It seems so." Both were a little bit embarrassed and Phoebe wanted to move away from him. Therefore she got closer to the place, where the two men were standing before. She wanted to turn around and touched the balustrade, when she noticed, that she would get a premonition. She felt dizzy and she griped the balustrade. She saw an empty street, a car arrived and a woman got off. She walked to her apartment, when a demon appeared and took her. Phoebe recognized him immediately, it was Quasta. He ran his long fingernails over her arm. The woman screamed and then both disappeared.  
  
Phoebe woke up and staggered a little bit. Cole was immediately beside her and held her. "Are you okay?" he asked concerned. "Do you feel dizzy?" He looked around "There is a chair." He took her to the chair. And Phoebe sat down. Cole squat down in front of her and looked at her concerned. She was pale. "Do you feel better?" he asked. "Or do you want anything to drink or to eat?"  
  
"A juice please." she said, because she wanted some time to think about it.  
  
"I'll be back in a minute!" Cole disappeared.  
  
Phoebe closed her eyes. She had to get home as soon as possible to detain Quasta and to get something of his green substance. She looked around. It was impossible to call for Leo, there were too many people around. Unfortunately she went here together with Philip. And if she asked him to take her home, it would end in endless discussions. That would waste too much time. If she liked it or not, she would have to call for a taxi. But that would take much time, too, because the guests had arrived here in their own cars, or a limousine with a driver had driven them up in front of the entrance. Therefore there didn't wait any taxis in front of the building. It really was the wrong moment to get a premonition.  
  
"Here!" Phoebe looked up and saw Cole standing in front of her with a glass in his hand. He gave it to her and kneeled down.  
  
Phoebe drank a little bit and a thought suddenly occurred to her. She could ask Cole, why not?  
  
"Do you feel well again?" he asked again.  
  
"Not really." she said.  
  
"Is it still your cold?" he touched her forehead with his hand. "You don't have temperature." he stated in relief.  
  
She looked at him, why shouldn't she ask him? A taxi would need too much time, she persuaded herself. And by the way, she would keep him away from this stupid Helen. But certainly that was irrelevant. "I think I want to go home and lay in bed as soon as possible." she told him suffering.  
  
"I'll look for your friend." Cole offered and wanted to stand up. But Phoebe held him back. "No wait." she began "You know, he is here for profession, too. It's an important evening for him. Therefore .. mm .. would you drive me home?" She looked at him carefully.  
  
Cole was surprised about her question, but somehow pleased, too. "Sure" he said and looked around. "I think we should take the corridor. There are too many people in the ballroom." He helped her to stand up. "When I'll come back, I can tell your friend that you felt bad and I took you home." he said satisfied and led her hastily to the corridor. He didn't know, that he did her a favor, because she didn't want to meet Philip again and tell him why she had to go home. It would waste valuable time.  
  
There weren't a lot of people at the wardrobe at this time and Phoebe got her things soon. She put on her coat and sent her sisters massages, that they would have to meet at home. When she arrived at the entrance, Cole's car was already there. A young man had driven it up before the entrance and they got in.  
  
"You have to tell me the fastest way to your home, okay?" Cole requested.  
  
Phoebe told him the way, but apart from that it was silent in the car. Cole had decided not to pester her with questions, because she felt bad. But he had to admit one thing. "Well, that his profession is more important for your boyfriend, than you,... I really can't accept that. That can't be a good relationship. I would never do that." he told her convinced. But then he glanced at her and added "As far as I know."  
  
She didn't go into it and explained him, that Philip wasn't her boyfriend, but a friend. She thought that it wasn't necessary to lie in this point anymore. Finally she had decided to look for another man in her life and therefore she didn't want to pass Philip off as her partner any longer.  
  
Some days ago, she told me something else, Cole thought and meant "That's great."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, I thought that you are mismatched from the first moment." And probably he is a criminal, too, Cole thought but didn't say.  
  
"And who would suit to me, in your opinion?" she asked interested.  
  
Cole thought about it. "Mm, somebody, who would do everything for you. Nobody who is more interested in his career than in you. Somebody who for example wouldn't stay on a ball, when you feel bad. Somebody who isn't so extremely conformed. More unusual, somehow special, probably a little bit dangerous, but somebody who could protect you, who is passionate and who loves you more than everything."  
  
"Did you accidentally describe yourself?"  
  
He glanced at her astonished. "No, not really." he answered in surprise. "Why? Could that be a description of me?"  
  
She ignored his question and said instead. "Perhaps I was attracted to such men in former times, but today I want something else. Someone who is safe and solid."  
  
"Really?" Cole said not very convinced. "You are joking. A little bit danger is always good, otherwise it gets boring."  
  
"No, I'm fed up with danger, believe it or not. The most important for me is that I can trust somebody implicitly. I had enough disappointments."  
  
Cole realized, that she was deadly serious and he asked carefully. "Did I betray you?"  
  
"Yes," Phoebe answered and then noticed, what he was driving at. "But not the way you think."  
  
"Well, what do I think?"  
  
"You didn't have an affair." she explained.  
  
"Oh," then that wasn't the problem, but what else? After a short break he asked the question, he dealt with during the last days. "Tell me, Phoebe, our relationship. Well, did we love each other?" She didn't answer immediately and therefore he added. "Or did we have such a relation, where we had a quarrel and we had sex for reconciliation ?"  
  
She looked at him shocked. "No!" she answered indignantly. "What makes you think of that?"  
  
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, it seems to me." Actually he was relieved that his assumption was wrong.  
  
They arrived in front of the Halliwell Manor some time later. Phoebe thanked Cole and wanted to get off the car, when she changed her mind. She turned around to him. She hesitated, but then she told him. "I know, I have denied it for some time, but once we loved each other, Cole. Without any doubts, that wasn't the problem. Or perhaps it was?"  
  
He looked at her surprised. He didn't know, what astounded him more, that she had told him, or that she really meant it. She noticed that he wanted to ask her something, but she didn't want to talk about it. She leaned over to him and wanted to give him a short goodbye kiss. But when their lips touched, Cole wrapped his arms tightly around her and the kiss turned out more intensive than Phoebe had planned.  
  
She looked at him angrily. Cole looked back and raised an eyebrow. "You probably only wanted to pass your cold on to me." he said.  
  
"Yes, that was only revenge." she agreed and had to smile.  
  
He glanced down quickly, before he looked at her again. "And if it doesn't work? Will you try it again?"  
  
Phoebe opened the door and shook her head. "Good night Cole." she said. She went to the Manor and didn't look back again.  
  
Cole watched her disappearing in the house. He couldn't make her out. What was the meaning of all of this? They had loved each other, okay, but what went wrong? If you love each other, you'll always find a way, he was convinced about it. He would find out, what was wrong with Phoebe, he only had to be stubborn. He didn't want to go back to the ball, but he had to. Helen was still there and he had to tell Philip, that he had taken Phoebe home. He smiled satisfied and drove off.  
  
When Phoebe entered the house, Piper, Paige and Leo were already waiting for her.  
  
"Do you have to ruin our Friday night?" Paige asked angrily.  
  
"Oh, it wasn't my choice. Remember I have been on a ball. I didn't want to have a premonition there."  
  
"You had a premonition?" Piper asked.  
  
"Yes unfortunately." she sat down. "It was our new friend Quasta again. This night he'll attack a young woman in the .." she tried to see her premonition again. There was a street sign. "Oakham Road." she told her sisters finally. "The woman will get out of her car in the Oakham Road. She'll go to her apartment. Then Quasta will appear, he'll hurt her and they'll disappear."  
  
"What are we waiting for? Let's go." Paige decided. "Piper do you have anything we can put his substance in?"  
  
Piper took a small receptacle out of the cupboard and looked at Leo. "I think you should wait here, until we'll be back." The sisters touched their hands and disappeared in blue light.  
  
When they arrived in the street, Phoebe immediately saw a car arriving. The woman got out and Quasta appeared. He touched her and pricked his fingernails into her arm.  
  
"Oh no," Paige groaned.  
  
But Phoebe was already in front of the demon. She gave him a hard kick. He had to let the woman go. Paige hurried beside her and disappeared with her. The demon looked around irritated and said menacing. "You will regret it sooner or later witches." Surprisingly he didn't do anything else, but shimmered away.  
  
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other in surprise. "That was easy." Phoebe wondered.  
  
"Perhaps too easy. Phoebe do you see anything of his substance on the ground?" Piper asked.  
  
Phoebe looked at the ground and found something. "Yes, ugh, look here."  
  
Piper walked towards her an put something of it into the receptacle. "We have to hurry, otherwise it could evaporate again."  
  
Phoebe looked around. "Unfortunately our transport isn't here anymore. That happens often lately. Hopefully Paige will come back soon."  
  
"She couldn't foresee, that it wouldn't take much time, without a great fight."  
  
"Yes, the demon only injected her a little bit of his amnesia substance. It seems as if he was sufficient with it. Finally he didn't try to fight with us."  
  
"Really strange, I think we should call Leo."  
  
Leo and Paige orbed in nearly at the same time.  
  
"Do you have anything of this essence?" Paige asked immediately.  
  
Piper showed her the receptacle. "How is the woman feeling?" she asked.  
  
She was still unconscious. They laid her down on the lawn strip near the footpath to the apartments. Leo looked after her, but she was alright, although Quasta had injected her something of his substance. It was unlikely, that he would come back. Therefore Piper and Paige decided to go back home. They wanted to start with the preparation of the vanquishing potion, before Quasta's essence would evaporate again. Leo and Phoebe wanted to wait until the woman would wake up. It happened some minutes later.  
  
She sat up "Where am I?" she asked surprised. "And who are you?"  
  
"You had an accident." Leo explained her.  
  
"What? ... Why? Who are you?" She looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"We have found you. I'm Laura and that's my husband .. Mike. You were lying on the ground. Somebody had probably attacked you." Phoebe told her.  
  
"Attacked? I can't remember." she said horrified. "I just wanted to do spring cleaning, I climbed on the steps and then ...."  
  
Spring cleaning, Leo and Phoebe looked at each other, she had also lost some weeks of her memory. "May we call for a doctor?" Phoebe asked the woman.  
  
"No, thanks. Everything is alright." She stood up and looked at them. They noticed that she didn't trust them at all. "I'll go into my apartment again." she said.  
  
"Okay, let's go Mike." Phoebe linked arms with Leo and they walked away. "We have to go along the street and keep a low profile." Phoebe explained him. "She watches us." She clung to him. "You are finally my husband." she grinned.  
  
"Why didn't you come up with anything else?" he asked irritable.  
  
"Don't make such a fuss. Sometime I wish to have an ordinary boyfriend, too. As Piper has."  
  
"I wouldn't call me ordinary."  
  
"You know what I mean. I have the talent to fall in love with the wrong men." She sighed, one wrong man was more than enough.  
  
"You don't have an influence on it." Leo explained.  
  
"Yes, unfortunately." They were silent.  
  
"Why did he have to turn up in San Francisco again?" She asked grumpy, after a while.  
  
Leo knew immediately, who was meant. "That wasn't planned, Phoebe. Nobody wanted that you would meet him again."  
  
"Great, but that didn't help me. Can't they do anything to .. remove him?"  
  
"They would really like to undo their decision, but unfortunately that isn't possible." Leo explained.  
  
"Undo? Do you mean to let him die?" she asked a little bit shocked. "Well it isn't that bad. I'll manage it. Finally I can go out of his way. It isn't necessary to meet him again." She told Leo. Unfortunately it wasn't that easy, she thought. But she also didn't want to be responsible for his death again. 


	14. Chapter 14

Thanks for your reviews. This time there are two new chapters. Perhaps I should tell you, that you're right, slowly but surely they're getting there. But I think it can't happen too fast. Nevertheless I hope you'll like it.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
On Sunday Helen visited Cole to ask him for a favor. When he returned on Friday night, she had missed him hardly. She had talked to a lot of people and tried to find out more about the corruption scandal. But either they didn't know anything, or they didn't want to talk about it. She didn't find out anything new. On Saturday she had called her informant Trisha Raymond again. But surprisingly Trisha had forgotten, who Helen was. She also didn't know anything about their appointment on Monday anymore.  
  
Helen was desperate. But then she suddenly got a message of Trisha. They should meet this evening in an empty warehouse in the outskirts. Helen didn't know, what to think about it. But she decided that she'll have to go there. She had a funny feeling about it. Therefore she wanted to ask Kevin to come with her, because Peter wasn't fit again. Cole agreed to go with her.  
  
In the evening they met in Helen's apartment. "Do you think it could be dangerous?" Cole asked.  
  
"Nonsense, I only want to be sure that there is somebody waiting in front of the building. That's all." Helen explained.  
  
"But I think you shouldn't go there." Peter interfered. "There's something fishy about it. Yesterday she didn't remember you and today she wants to meet you in such a wilderness. Please stay at home." But he couldn't talk her out of going there.  
  
"If we won't be back in two hours, you can call the police. You know where we are. But I swear you, it isn't dangerous everything will go well, don't worry." She kissed Peter, who was still concerned and left together with Cole the apartment.  
  
When they arrived at the warehouse, they didn't see another car or anybody else on the street. They parked in a side street. From this point they could watch the entrance of the building, but they didn't attract attention. They got off the car and went to the warehouse.  
  
They were intentionally early, because they wanted to have time to check the house first. The building had seen better days. They went through the open door and entered a stairway. They went upstairs and passed a closed door to the warehouse. It was rusty and it seemed as if it wasn't used for years. When they arrived upstairs, they were standing on a corridor. At the left side was a closed door. Helen opened it and they were standing in a room. In former times it had probably been the office. Now it was empty except a rickety table and a lot of dust.  
  
Helen walked to the window and looked at the street. "I can see, if somebody is coming." she told Cole. "It is absolutely not dangerous."  
  
"But somebody could come through the rusty door." Cole pointed out.  
  
"No, I think it's impossible to open it. You said it, it's too rusty. Don't worry. You can go back to your car. Probably she won't come, if I'm not alone." She looked at him begging. "Please Kevin, nothing can happen."  
  
Cole wasn't absolutely convinced about it, but he left the building reluctantly. He went back to his car and got in. If somebody went through the door, he would follow him immediately, he swore to himself.  
  
At the same time, Phoebe had a premonition, when she was sitting in the living room. She saw an empty room in an old warehouse. A woman was standing at a window, it seemed as if she was waiting for somebody. Then Quasta suddenly appeared behind her. The woman turned around in surprise and Phoebe recognized her. It was Cole's girlfriend Helen. Quasta wanted to touch her and to prick his long fingernails into her arm.  
  
When Phoebe woke up, Paige and Piper sat beside her. They looked at her curiously. "Quasta?" Piper asked.  
  
Phoebe nodded and said disgruntled. "We have to rescue this damn Helen."  
  
"Whom?" Paige asked.  
  
"Nobody, forget it. Okay, Quasta will attack a woman again. Luckily we have already finished his vanquishing potion."  
  
"And where?"  
  
"This time somewhere in the old industrial area. In an empty office, I could see a smoke stack with the label Erkon through the window ."  
  
"I know where that is.Some youth gangs sometimes meet in this area." Paige explained them.  
  
After that, Piper took the potion and Paige orbed them into the building, where they expected Quasta's attack. They appeared in the stairway and looked around.  
  
"I hope this is the right warehouse." Piper said.  
  
"We should go upstairs, then we'll find it out." They went upstairs and carefully entered the only room there. Quasta wasn't there, only Helen was standing at the window. Paige closed the door and Helen turned around. She looked at Phoebe surprised. "You?" she asked bewildered. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"You know her?" Piper looked astonished at her sister.  
  
"Not really." she answered.  
  
In this moment Quasta appeared. He wanted to catch Helen, but Phoebe kicked him away and Helen jumped aside. She screamed horrifed. "For heaven's sake, what is that?" Nobody cared about her, because Quasta focused his attention on Phoebe. He wanted to scratch her face with his long fingernails, but luckily he got caught in her necklace. Piper froze everything and Phoebe could free herself from Quasta. Unfortunately her necklace got broken, because it was stuck in his fingernails.  
  
Phoebe got out of danger and she took a phial with vanquishing potion together with Paige. Piper unfroze him and both threw the elixir on Quasta. He staggered back and ignited. He started to scream and burnt totally, after a while only a small heap of ashes was remaining.  
  
Helen fainted on the ground. And the sisters drew a deep breath.  
  
"That was an easy job." Piper said satisfied.  
  
"But who is this woman?" Paige asked her sister and looked at the unconscious woman on the ground.  
  
"Helen .. Carter, I think." her sisters waited for another explanation. "She is Cole's girlfriend." Phoebe explained disgruntled.  
  
"Cole has a girlfriend? But that is great." Paige said and looked pleased. "Well, I can't understand, why she wants to associate with him, but finally she has no idea, whom she got involved with. But at least he didn't run after you anymore."  
  
Phoebe looked at Helen. Yes wonderful, if she was fat and ugly, she wouldn't have any problems with it, she thought, but didn't say it loud.  
  
Suddenly they heard steps from the stairway. They looked at each other surprised.  
  
"We have to take her away." Piper decided. "Do you know where she lives?" she asked her sister.  
  
"How should I know that?"  
  
"On the note, I gave you, was Cole's address." Paige remembered.  
  
"Yes, of course. I'll deliver her to Cole, that is a really wonderful idea." Phoebe said angrily.  
  
"But we have to vanish here." Piper stated, when the steps came closer.  
  
Phoebe thought about a solution. "I think she is working for Cole's paper, too. We should take her there." She explained Paige, where Cole's office at the Daylight Express was and they orbed there together with Helen.  
  
Meanwhile Cole was waiting in his car. He was bored to death, because nothing has happened. The woman didn't appear at the arranged time. Cole didn't wonder about it, because he had expected that she wouldn't come. To his relief nobody else entered the warehouse. But then suddenly a car parked in front of the building. Two men got off and entered the stairs. Cole jumped out off his car and followed them into the building. He hoped that they wouldn't bear arms, but he had his doubts about it. They looked like people who are used to carry arms. Cole looked around and searched for a qualified arm, but he only found a steel rod in the corner, better than nothing, he supposed. The men arrived in front of the office. Cole hurried to follow them, he didn't want to imagine, what they would do with Helen, and he had only a steel rod.  
  
One of the men opened the door and they entered the room. But to Cole's surprise he didn't hear any noise. Did Helen find a hiding place, when she saw the men arriving? Cole wondered. It had been too late to escape. .  
  
"Nobody here." he heard one of the men saying. Cole hid behind the open door.  
  
"We had ordered him to stay here." the other man said. "If he failed again, he would be in for it."  
  
"I told you, that we can't trust this demon. Up to now we always had complications with him. No matter if it was Adam Samuels, Debra White or Trisha Raymond, he never finished his job as requested. I always said, we should do it the usual way."  
  
"But nobody wanted to attract attention. He could carry out the job unobtrusively."  
  
"But what was the price? And you can't tell me, that the death of Samuels was unobtrusive. A little bit intimidation or blackmail, and if necessary the last expedient and we wouldn't have any problems today."  
  
"But they could be dangerous in future. Now, they can't cause problems anymore, it was the perfect solution. But I tell you, if he messed it up again, he would regret it badly."  
  
"If it isn't too late already. Look here, the trace of a fire on the ground."  
  
"Things are going from bad to worse. Let's go, we should tell the boss about it."  
  
Cole squeezed himself closer into the corner and hold his breath. But luckily the men didn't shut the door again and they didn't notice him. He heard their steps on the stairway and later on the street. Relieved Cole stepped out of his hiding place. He didn't know, what he should think about the things he had heard. But he knew, that it would be interesting for Helen. He entered the office and looked for her. But he couldn't see her. There wasn't any place in the room, where she could hide. Cole looked around and was irritated. Where was she? The only thing he saw were burn marks on the ground, the men had mentioned. He went closer and suddenly he also saw the strange green spots on the ground. And there was something else lying on the ground. He knelt down and picked it up. It was still warm, but only a little bit scorched. He recognized it immediately, it was Phoebe's necklace.  
  
Suddenly he remembered again, where he had heard the name Debra White, Helen's informant, before. It was the name of the woman, he had rescued together with Phoebe. How could he be so forgetful? This whole Cole story had diverted him that much, that he hadn't seen the connection between it. Phoebe must have been here, that was obvious.  
  
He went downstairs and stopped at the door to the warehouse. It looked like before, still very rusty and closed. But somebody entered the stairs through this door, and it was probably Phoebe. He had watched the other entrance the whole time, nobody could have entered the house through it. And this person had taken Helen along. But why? To protect her of the men? Cole decided to drive home. He had to talk to Peter. Perhaps he has already heard something, hopefully that Helen was alright.  
  
Paige looked around interested in Cole's office. "Well, he really has a lot of things on his desk. It's a near -miracle, if he finds again something ."  
  
Piper looked at the corridor, it was empty. "We have no time for that, Paige. We have to find Helen's office. Paige you'll search on the left side and I'll search on the right. Hopefully it's on this floor. Phoebe you stay here, in case she should wake up. At least she knows you. Tell her something, or call Leo, that he'll take her memory."  
  
"Strange, I thought we wanted to protect her from loosing her memory." Paige interrupted.  
  
"Do you have another suggestion?" Piper asked her.  
  
"No!" Paige had to admit.  
  
"Well, then let's go." They left the office.  
  
When they were gone, Phoebe sat down at Cole's chair. She saw countless notes, articles with underlined passages and other things on his desk. Carefully she opened a drawer and started to smile. She saw her paper opened at the page woth her column. "Well, you can't impress him that much." she told Helen, who was still sleeping. Phoebe looked around. "And I also can't find a photo of you." Helen started to move a little bit. It was high time to call Leo.  
  
Some time later, the four had placed Helen into her chair in her office. She was sleeping again. Then they went home again.  
  
On his way back home, Cole tried to sort out his thoughts. Phoebe and this stupid Cole story had claimed his full attention. He had been so inattentively, that he hadn't seen the things in context. He couldn't understand how that could have happened. Lost in thoughts, he took the wrong road more than once. Swearing he noticed, that he took twice as long for his way home as for the way to the warehouse. When he finally arrived, he hurried to Helen's apartment and started to ring. When Peter opened the door, Helen was already sitting in the living room. Cole couldn't believe it. "Helen, I'm so glad that you are here." he said relieved. "But how did you get home?"  
  
Helen looked at him irritated. "Why? Peter picked me up at the paper, fifteen minutes ago."  
  
"What?" What was she talking about? The paper? "But we were in the outskirts, you wanted to meet an informant in this warehouse office."  
  
"Yes and I went to the Daylight Express because she didn't appear." She explained.  
  
"Really? And how did you go there? I didn't take you there?"  
  
"No? Well, I probably called a taxi." she told him absolutely convinced.  
  
Cole didn't believe a word. "And why didn't I know anything about it? I haven't even seen you coming out of this building."  
  
"Kevin are you crazy? I was in my office at the Daylight Express. It doesn't matter, how I got there. You probably dropped off for a while and didn't notice that." Helen seemed to be convinced about her explanation.  
  
"You are really a wonderful lookout." Peter said teasing. "You should take care of my girlfriend and fell asleep. Even I with my hobble leg would have been a better one."  
  
Cole couldn't explain the whole situation. It was too bizarre. He was sure, that he didn't fall asleep. But he also felt, that Helen had told him the truth, from her point of view. But it was a complete mystery to him, how that could be possible. He knew, what he had seen and what he had heard. It was impossible, that it was only a bad dream. Actually he wanted to tell Helen everything about it and about the things he knew. But now, he decided not to do it.  
  
He stroked his hand through his hair and said little convinced. "You are right, I probably fell asleep. I should go now." He went to the door and turned around again. He looked at Helen and said. "But I'm glad, that you are alright."  
  
When he entered his apartment, he went on the balcony. He sat down and watched the moon. He took Phoebe's necklace out of his pocket and looked at it. It was reality, it wasn't a dream and he would find out, what it was all about. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
  
The next morning Cole wanted to think logically about the whole situation. The men had mentioned three persons: Adam Samuels, Debra White and Trisha Raymond. Adam Samuels has worked as a lawyer for the Deacon arm factory. Trisha Raymond had mentioned this company and Peter was attacked there by the dogs.  
  
Samuels was killed three weeks ago on a square in the city. The cause of his death was still unclear. But he had had strange skin lesions and Peter had seen green spots on the ground, which had vanished the next day. And he shouldn't forget, that he had met Phoebe's sisters at the square that day and Phoebe the next day.  
  
Debra White was the woman, he had rescued together with Phoebe. She had been in this fictive Midland Day-Care Center. Cole was sure, that somebody had kidnapped her. But this figure had vanished into thin air, when he arrived. Debra had had skin lesions, too and on the ground were green spots again. Debra worked for the town government in the department, which was responsible for social spending. She wanted to inform Helen about the corruption there, but after her 'accident' she didn't want to know anything about it anymore.  
  
Trisha Raymond wanted to talk to Helen, too. They wanted to meet, but then she also didn't remember anything. Later she sent Helen a message that they should meet in the warehouse. But it was obvious, that somebody else, probably the men, had sent this massage.  
  
Well, and there was Helen, too. She went into the office of the warehouse and vanished into thin air. Later she appeared in her office at the Daylight Express. And she was convinced that it was absolutely normal. Only if she could beam perhaps, Cole thought. After Helen was gone, two men appeared in the office. They were angry that somebody had failed again. When they were gone, Cole saw burn marks and green spots on the ground. And of course he found Phoebe's necklace.  
  
He looked down at the necklace. It was a mystery to him, how Phoebe was involved in this affair. He was dying to talk to her, but he could imagine how she would react. She wouldn't breathe a word. Therefore he wanted to confront her with facts. He didn't want to give her the chance for excuses again. Therefore he had to talk to Debra White and Trisha Raymond to find out more about it. Cole called at Debra's office, but she wasn't there. Somebody told him, that she had taken a rest owing to illness and he didn't want to give Cole Debra's private address. Cole thought about it and decided to visit Helen.  
  
After Cole entered Helen's office, he soon brought the conversation round to Helen's corruption story. "Tell me, Helen, do you have the private address of Debra White or Trisha Raymond?"  
  
"I have Debra's address, but not Trisha's." she looked at him curiously. "Why?"  
  
"Well, I thought I could help you with your investigations a little bit. Especially after I failed miserably yesterday. I guess it'll be probably a good idea, if I visit them and try to pump them, perhaps they'll tell my something, that could help you." he said absolutely unselfish.  
  
"Mm, well do you think that you'll get any further with your manly charm?" She asked laughing. "Okay, why not. You can try it, if you want." She searched for Debra's address and gave it to Cole. "But please be nice to her. The last time I called her, she was rather frightened."  
  
"I'm always gentle." He told her grinning and took the note.  
  
Helen looked at him sceptically. "From my personal experience, I can't totally agree with you. But never mind. I have nothing to loose, in any case Debra White won't tell me anything"  
  
"Thanks for your confidence." Cole told her ironically. "You'll be surprised, what I'll get out of her."  
  
"Yes, you are right, you can amaze me over and over again." she answered with a smile, when he left her office.  
  
Debra White lived in a solide middle-class district in the suburb. There were small houses in the street with a garden behind the house and a frontyard. When Cole turned into the street, Debra White was just working in front of her house. Cole recognized her immediately, although she had been injured and unconscious the last time. It was good luck, that he met her in her front garden, so he could easily get into conversation with her. He told her, that he just moved to San Francisco and was looking for a house. Debra told him, that there was no houses for sale at the moment.  
  
"That's a pity, it seems to be very peaceful here. And I'm looking for a safe quarter for living." he told her.  
  
"That's true, it's really peaceful here. In this street happen neither burglaries nor muggings." She groaned slowly. "But you can't be careful enough."  
  
"What do you mean?" Cole asked. "Don't you feel good?"  
  
"You know," she confided him. "I had an accident not long ago. That means it could happen always and everywhere. You are never completely safe."  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry for you. What has happened?" he asked sympathetically and added. "But if you don't want to talk about it with a stranger, I'll understand that."  
  
She looked at him and decided that he was trustful. "Well, I really don't know, what has happened. Probably it was an accident with hit-and-run offense. Luckily a young woman has found me on the road-side. Who knows, what could have happened otherwise." She shuddered with fear. "But the worst is, that I don't know, how I got there."  
  
"Yes, I know how frightening it is, if you can't remember."  
  
Debra looked at him surprised.  
  
"You know, I lost my memory some time ago. Suddenly I didn't know anymore, who or where I was." he told her.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, I still can't remember. Therefore I wanted to move into another city. You know, nobody here will notice, if I don't remember."  
  
She looked at him fascinated. "Yes, I can understand you. Luckily I only lost 5 months of my life. But the memories are clean gone. And all people want to help me. They tell me, but you have to remember this, or that, but I can't. And then I want to remember with all my might, but nothing happens. It's so frustrating. Do you remember nothing?"  
  
"No, I even don't know my name. Okay, I know my name today, but that doesn't change anything. So you are lucky, that you have only lost a part of your memory. And the accident was the reason for it?"  
  
"Yes, the young woman took me to her home. Her brother-in-law was a doctor and he examined me. Luckily I had no injuries. We also went to the police, but they didn't find out anything yet. A few days later I went to my doctor, too. But he also couldn't help me. He assured me, that my memories would come back, but I have my doubts." Desperately she looked at him . "I rack my brain over the occurrence. And I picture the worst things to myself."  
  
"I assure you, nothing worse had happened." He tried to calm her down. "Somebody hit you by mistake and then he fled in panic. That's probably all."  
  
"But why didn't I have any injuries? I even had no bruises."  
  
He really wanted to help her, but it wouldn't help her, if she knew that she had been in an empty building, probably together with a kidnapper. That would only intensify her fear. "Have you already seen a psychiatrist?" he couldn't believe that this sentence came from his mouth.  
  
"Yes, and he convinced me that it'll get better in course of time. And perhaps I'll go to a self-help group in future."  
  
"Yes, you should do that. They can probably help you."  
  
"Yes, I think so, too."  
  
"And you should work again, it helped me. Working will take your mind off your worries."  
  
"You are right. And I'm very lucky with my employer. I'm working for the town government, you have to know. Last year I was promoted and I'm actually working for another department since January. But you can imagine, I don't remember anything of my work or my colleagues there. It is so frightening for me. And they offered me to go back to my former department, in fact at a better post. I'm so lucky about it."  
  
"You see, everything takes a turn for the better." He smiled at her. "But I have to go now. It's really a pity, that there aren't any houses for sale in this street."  
  
"Yes, really a pity. It would have been great to have such a friendly neighbour."  
  
"Goodbye"  
  
"Goodbye." Debra turned to her flowers again.  
  
Cole walked to his car and thought about his conversation with Debra. He could tell Helen, that Debra White had lost her memory, it wasn't a trick. But why has Phoebe told her that she had found her on the road-side? That was strange. And Debra has lost her memory exactly for the last five months, she had worked for the department, which was responsible for the social spending. She wanted to inform Helen what was going on there, but purely by chance she couldn't remember now. And it was really friendly, that she could go back to her old department at a higher post. So she would never be able to blab out anything about it again. But was it possible to eliminate intentionally a part of the memory? And had this ominous green essence anything to do with it?  
  
Helen also couldn't remember how she got into her office and she didn't wonder about it. Perhaps the essence didn't really work, because she could still remember everything, despite her way to the paper. Cole decided that he had to meet Trisha Raymond, to check if she had problems with her memory, too. He took the phone book and looked for her address. Luckily he found it immediately. She lived in the Oakham Road, a quiet small street with condominium apartments.  
  
Meanwhile it was evening and Cole hoped, that he could meet her at home. He guessed, that she was attacked, too. Therefore he came up with a story. He rang at her door and heard a dog barking.  
  
A young pretty woman with dark hair opened the door. "Yes, please." she looked at him asking. A little dog romped around her legs and yapped angrily. "No Sparki, go inside." She tried to push the dog back into her apartment, what wasn't easy. When she had managed it, she turned to Cole again, who had watched the whole action grinning. "Hello," he said. "My name is Kevin Torrens." He showed her his press card. "I'm investigating about recent assaults on people in this area ."  
  
"Really?" she looked at him surprised, but didn't say anything else.  
  
"Yes, perhaps you have noticed something, you could tell me. Or you are even a victim, too."  
  
She looked at him hesitating. He looked back trustworthy and said. "If you don't want, I won't write anything about it in the paper. I'll handle your information absolutely confidential, I promise you."  
  
"Well, if you promise me, that you won't publish anything of it." She looked around. "Because I don't want that somebody finds out something about it."  
  
"I won't tell anything, if you don't want."  
  
"Okay, I have to take the dog for a walk. You can come with me, if you want. We can talk then." She put the dog on the lead and they left the building. "I hope you aren't afraid of dogs."  
  
"Not of small one's. But I'm sure his barking is able to put burglars to flight."  
  
"Yes, you are right. And he can be very beastly, if he wants."  
  
They walked side by side for a while. Cole wanted to give her some time, he hoped she would start of her own accord. And finally she did it. "So some people in this quarter were already attacked? That's strange, I didn't hear anything of it."  
  
"It just happened and most people don't want to talk about it." he tried to convince her.  
  
"Mm, well I also don't have a lot to tell." She smiled at him excusing. "I'm sorry."  
  
"You don't need to apologize. Please tell me, what had happened."  
  
"Okay, it was last Friday. I don't know what I can tell you about it. Because I don't want you to think that I'm mad."  
  
"I would never do that. Therefore you are too pretty and intelligent."  
  
"What does that got to do with it?" she looked at him asking.  
  
"Nothing" he smiled at her. "But no story could change my opinion about you. And I can tell you, I have already heard a lot of crazy stories."  
  
She shook her head laughing. "Alright. Last Friday I woke up on the lawn strip near the footpath to my apartment. A man and a woman stood beside me and helped me. They told me, that they had found me there, probably I had been attacked."  
  
"Did you know them? Could they have anything to do with your accident?"  
  
"No, I didn't know them, but I also don't think that they had anything to do with it. They seemed to be an ordinary married couple. Although I haven't seen them in our street before." Trisha told him.  
  
"How did they look like?"  
  
Trisha described them. The woman could be Phoebe and the husband probably her brother-in-law. Cole wasn't absolutely sure, but he rather thought that it was Phoebe. Wonderful, she told him that she felt bad on the ball, but then she had enough energy to help Trisha. And he had been so stupid to believe her story and took her home. But he could get worked about it later. He looked at Trisha again. "And you can't remember anything of the attack?"  
  
She laughed dryly. "It's even worse. I can wether remember the attack nor the last weeks before. That is weird and crazy. I didn't dare to talk about it." She looked at him desperately. "I'm afraid, that everybody would think that I'm going insane."  
  
"But that is nonsense. You probably forgot it because of the shock after the attack. That doesn't mean, that you are driving crazy. What should I say?" He told her about his amnesia. Basically he didn't speak about his loss of memory so freely. But this time it was useful to talk about it with fellow sufferers, they became more communicative. Perhaps he was the sort of person for group therapy after all, he thought amused.  
  
He accompanied Trisha to her apartment and they changed their phone numbers. He could imagine to meet her private again. Because she was less crazy than Phoebe, without any doubt. And less complicated, he thought grimly. But nevertheless he would prefer to meet Phoebe, he sighed, that was rather stupid. What was she doing there, when Trisha was attacked? He had to confront her with this new facts, that was certain. 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
Next morning Phoebe was sitting at the breakfast table. She wanted to work at home this day. She took her time and drank a cup of coffee, when Piper entered the room. She held the clean washed sailors pullover in her hand. "Can you tell me, what that is, Phoebe?" she asked her sister.  
  
Damn it, she had totally forgotten this stupid pullover. "I don't know." she answered innocently.  
  
"Didn't you throw this thing into the laudry basket?" Piper asked surprised. "Then it must have been Paige. Or do you think Leo wears such a pullover?" She looked at the pullover irritated. "Okay, he isn't very trendy, but this big sailor's pullover?"  
  
Phoebe shrugged her shoulders. Why didn't she throw this pullover away? She wondered. It was a stupid idea to put it into the laundy basket. But she has had a bad conscious, finally she had stolen this damn pullover more or less. But she also didn't want to take it back, that was slightly exaggerated.  
  
When Paige entered the room, Piper showed her the pullover, too. "Is that your's?" she asked.  
  
Paige shook her head. "Strange, then it has to belong to Leo."  
  
Phoebe groaned, it would come out sooner or later, she thought and said. "No, I just remember. I have worn it during the thunderstorm at the beach."  
  
"Yes you are right," Piper remembered. "Even then I wondered what you were wearing."  
  
"I have found it at the beach. I was so cold therefore I put it on. But it was a fault, it became totally satureated with water."  
  
"You have found a pullover at the beach and put it on? That's disgusting."  
  
"Don't make such a fuss, Paige. If you were cold, you would do the same."  
  
"And what do you want to do with this thing now?" Piper asked.  
  
"Give it to me, I'll care about it." Phoebe told them angrily and left the room quickly.  
  
Piper looked behind her and shook her head. "If she behave this way, she mostly has something to hide."  
  
"Do you think so? Mm, perhaps she has a new friend and she feels awful about it, because he prefers to wear such pullovers." Paige suggested.  
  
"Hopefully you are right and that's it." Piper said thoughtfully.  
  
At the same time Cole called the scientist, he interviewed about the research project a few days ago. He wanted to ask him, if there was a remedy that could wipe out special parts of the memory calculated. But he didn't get a clear answer. The physician told him about hypnosis to influence the memory and mind-expanding drugs, but he didn't want or couldn't comment on it more clearly. But Cole was convinced that the green substance had something to do with the memory loss. That couldn't be pure chance. And finally Phoebe's brother-in-law should be a doctor. But what was the use of it? Especially for Phoebe. Perhaps this Philip had something to do with it and she wanted to hush it up. And therefore she asked Cole to take her home. Or didn't Philip know anything about it? It was time to talk with her about it.  
  
Cole decided to confront her with his questions at home. Therefore he waited until the evening, then he drove to her house. When he rang at the door, Paige opened it. She looked at him astonished.  
  
"Hello Paige, is Phoebe at home?" He asked.  
  
"What do you want? You have promised to keep out of her ways." She stated firmly.  
  
He made a disparaging gesture. "It has nothing to do with that matter. I have to ask her something."  
  
"But Phoebe isn't at home." She smiled at him politely. "So please go."  
  
He didn't believe a word. "And why is her car standing in front of the house?" He didn't wait for the answer and pushed past Paige. She wanted to hold him back, but he was already standing in the house and saw Phoebe coming downstairs. He turned back to Paige and said sarcastically. "Not at home, oh I see." Then he turned to Phoebe "I have to talk to you." he said firmly.  
  
Phoebe looked at him frustrated, but walked towards him.  
  
Meanwhile Piper and Leo came out of the living room and looked at them surprised. "You don't have to talk to him Phoebe." Piper stared at Cole angrily. "Beat it!"  
  
"It's okay Piper." Phoebe took Cole's arm. "I'll talk to Cole outside." She pulled him with herself out of the house.  
  
"Why does she talk to him?" Paige asked irritated.  
  
"Probably she only wants to explain him, that he has to go." Leo meant.  
  
Piper looked at the door suspiciously. "Leo, you should stay in front of the door. And if you hear something conspicuous, you'll help her or better you'll call us." She told her husband. She hoped Phoebe knew what she was doing.  
  
"Okay, what do you want?" Phoebe asked angrily, after she had closed the door. "I have already told you, that I won't tell you anything. Leave me alone."  
  
"I'm very sorry, but I have to disappoint you. It has nothing to do with us." He stressed the last word deliberately and looked at her self- satisfied. He couldn't understand, why this family had to make such a big fuss, when he only wanted to talk to Phoebe.  
  
She groaned and looked at him. "What's up?" she asked indignantly. She really couldn't imagine what he wanted of her otherwise.  
  
"I wanted to bring you something back." he reached in his pocket and got her necklace out of it. "That!" He held it in front of her nose.  
  
She took it uncertain. "Where did you find it?"  
  
"Oh, you don't remember, where you have lost it? I found it in an office of an old warehouse, just after Helen was vanished into thin air."  
  
"Then it can't be mine. I have never been there. And they probably sold a lot of it." She wanted to give the necklace back to him. But he didn't take it.  
  
Instead he told her. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe you." He smiled without obligation. "Imagine, Debra White, you'll remember her, we rescued her and didn't say a word to the police. Well Debra had lost five months of her memory, after her .. mm ... can we call it accident? And Trisha Raymond. You'll remember her too, you were there when she was attacked last Friday. And that after you felt so bad on the ball. Well Trisha lost her memory for the last weeks. And by chance you were always there when this strange accidents have happened."  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about."  
  
"Sorry, I'm not that stupid. You were in this office. You took Helen into her office of the Daylight Express and she can't remember anything. I know it."  
  
"You are mad."  
  
"That's a wonderful excuse. Helen told me that I fell asleep and gave me the feeling, that I was going crazy, because I haven't seen her coming out of the building. But I know, the first time I was in the office the necklace wasn't there and the second time it was."  
  
"But I have no idea, how it got there."  
  
"Yes, probably the men had lost it, they really looked the sort wearing such a neckless." he said sarcastically.  
  
"What men?" Phoebe asked. That was interesting.  
  
They were shouting at each other nearly the whole time. After a while Leo found himself compelled to open the door. "Is everything alright?" He asked carefully.  
  
Cole looked at him furiously. "No, her crazy ex-husband wants to kill her. Did you expect anything else?" he snapped at him. Uncertain Leo looked at Phoebe. "Phoebe?" he asked as precaution.  
  
"It's okay Leo. I'll manage it on my own. Don't worry, leave that to me. You can go inside again." She pushed him into the house and shut the door again.  
  
"Is he always like this?" asked Cole, who was a little bit calmer now.  
  
"He worried about me." Phoebe tried to explain.  
  
"And if I drop by, it's necessary, isn't it?"  
  
"No, of course not, it's only ..."  
  
"Out of habit."  
  
"Enough of that, you wanted to tell me something about this men."  
  
He looked at her surprised. "So you confess, that you have been there?"  
  
"That's not the point. Did you know this men?"  
  
"But I think that's the point. I want to know, what's the meaning of this. And what has Adam Samuels to do with it?"  
  
"Adam Samuels? Why do you know that he ..." Phoebe began irritated.  
  
"I have listened to the men." He looked at her triumphantly. "And now you want to know, what I have heard, am I right?"  
  
She really wanted it. She had to find it out. She looked at him begging. "Cole, please tell me."  
  
He laughed and watched heavenwards. "And that after you don't answer one of my questions?"  
  
She thought about it, but she had no choice, if she wanted to find out, what he knew. "Okay, but I'll kill you, if you publish anything of it in your paper."  
  
"You want to kill me again?" He asked, but then he saw her shocked expression. "Hey, it was only a joke." he told her appeasing. "Well I swear you, I won't write anything about it in the paper. I promise you." He tried to convince her.  
  
She knew, that she could trust him this time. "Okay, I have been there, I have rescued Helen. I knew, that she was in danger, like I knew it with Debra White." She looked at him intensively. "I know, that you don't believe it. But I can really feel, if somebody is in danger. And this time I was early enough to protect Helen."  
  
"And how did you enter the building? Through this rusty door to the warehouse? How could you manage to open it?"  
  
"Oh, it was quite easy. It only looked that rusty." Luckily there was this door, she thought. "Yes and then I helped her to get to her office, because I knew that she was working there. She was a little bit shocked, I think therefore she has forgotten everything. Otherwise I have nothing to do with this accidents, that's the truth."  
  
He believed that she wasn't responsible for these accidents. It was plausible, that she wanted to help the victims. But he couldn't believe that she got inspirations. He thought it was more likely that she had an informant, who told her what was going on and she wanted to prevent the worst. Perhaps it was Philip, he could know about it. But somehow it was unlikely.  
  
"Well Cole now it's your turn. Tell me what you have heard." she looked at him requesting.  
  
He knew, that he could trust her, but he hesitated. Finally he had so many questions, she could answer and she wanted to hear his story desperately. "Okay, I'll tell you about it, if you answer some of my questions as a countermove." He looked at her excited.  
  
She looked back furiously. She already had confessed, that she was in the warehouse and now he wanted even more. But she could put it off until he would forget it, she thought. "Okay, you have won. But not today, another time, I promise."  
  
Cole looked her in the eyes deeply. "I trust you that you'll keep your promise." He said and began to tell her about Helen's investigations, the conversation of the men in the warehouse and the things he found out on his own. "They wanted to stop Helen to write this article. Do you think she is in danger?"  
  
"Well you think a doctor gave them something to wipe out a part of their memory and this doctor is probably put out of action now. Therefore I can't imagine that Helen is in danger anymore." Well she couldn't tell him, that it wasn't a doctor but a demon, who had done it and that they had vanquished Quasta.  
  
Cole looked at her sceptically. "You think she can go on writing her article and I won't have to warn her?"  
  
"Mm no, I think it would worry her unnecessarily. But you could tell her to be cautious. If she causes quite a stir, she'll probably be in danger again. But don't forget that you have promised me to treat this matter confidentially." She urged him again.  
  
He looked doubtfully aside. "Perhaps you are right." He finally said.  
  
Phoebe noticed that he was still thinking about it. "And Cole," she said. "keep out of it. We'll take care about it."  
  
"You'll deal with it? Well I think ..."  
  
"Please Cole," she looked at him imploring.  
  
He couldn't resist this look. "Okay, but you have to tell me, what's going on." He told her and stepped closer. "And don't forget your promise."  
  
"I won't do it." She looked at him. He brushed her strand out of her eyes and bent to her. He kissed her gently and smiled satisfied. "Give my regards to your family." He said and turned around. He went to his car and decided that he had to keep at the story. Okay, he had promised her not to do it, but she didn't need to know about it. He would find out, what was going on, and he knew where he could start.  
  
Phoebe looked behind him and groaned. She wondered again, why it had to feel so good, when he kissed her. She already had been further, why was she going to put up with it? She couldn't understand it and opened the door frustrated. When she went inside, she was right in front of Paige, Piper and Leo.  
  
"What was he playing at?" Piper asked immediately.  
  
"What?" they couldn't have seen anything through the door, could they? Phoebe wondered horrified.  
  
"His visit here."  
  
"Oh, that." Phoebe said relieved. "He only wanted to talk to me." She didn't say anything else for a while, therefore Paige pointed out. "Phoebe you have to stop to call him Cole. That is much too conspicuous, sooner or later he'll find out about it."  
  
Phoebe looked at her. "You don't have to worry about it, he already knows it."  
  
"What? Why?" Paige looked at her shocked. "You told him, right? Are you crazy?"  
  
"Oh Phoebe, how could you do it. What's wrong with you?" Piper interfered.  
  
"I had to tell him. And it isn't that worse." she tried to justify herself.  
  
"Well, no wonder, that he turned up again steadily. You've to blame only yourself ." Paige replied angrily.  
  
"Therefore he didn't come." Phoebe said. "It is worse."  
  
"Worse? What should be worse than Cole knows that he is Cole? Does he remember again, or is he a demon again? I'm really curious."  
  
"No, he took me my necklace, I lost last Sunday in the office of the warehouse."  
  
"Your necklace?"  
  
Phoebe showed Piper her necklace. And explained. "He had waited for Helen. But unfortunately she has never come out of the building."  
  
"Such a mess, did you tell him anything?"  
  
"Unfortunately I had to, because I wanted to hear, what he knows. He followed two men. We heard their steps on the stairway, do you remember?" Her sisters nodded. "And he already knew more." Phoebe told them, what he had told her. Finally she asked. "Do you think that were demons or humans?"  
  
"If one of them wanted to solve the problem the ordinary way, then I would say that they were mortals. But why did Quasta work with them?" Piper asked.  
  
"Do you think Helen is still in danger? Because I told Cole, that we'll care about the problem. And that he shouldn't tell her anything about it."  
  
"I think that was right, Phoebe." Leo calmed her. "Quasta is vanquished and I think they'll be careful and reserved the next time."  
  
"Yes, it'll only be dangerous again, if she finds other people who want to talk. If Helen is careful in future, nothing will happen. These people who worked together with Quasta don't know that he couldn't finish his job." Piper added.  
  
"Do you think Cole will stop to find out more about it?" Leo asked Phoebe concerned.  
  
"Well, I have asked him to do it." She said not very convinced.  
  
"Unfortunately that doesn't mean a thing. Mostly he does what he wants anyway." Piper pointed out.  
  
Phoebe ignored it and said instead. "I would like to know, what demons have to do with it."  
  
"Or why did Quasta allow them to use him?" Piper said. They looked at each other.  
  
"I think we'll have to investigate a little bit, too." Phoebe decided. 


	17. Chapter 17

Thanks for your reviews!!! When I started to write this story I only knew the beginning. The "case" developed itself, perhaps therefore it's a little bit complicated. Mostly when I've written down one idea, the next occured to me and sometimes I had to change the chapters before a little bit, so that it suits together. I think I wouldn't be able to put the first chapters here, before I've finished the story. I really admire the writers here, who are able to do it and then they really finish their story.  
  
Now two new chapters. I hope you'll like it.  
  
Chapter 17  
  
The next day Cole went to the arms factory, Adam Samuels had worked for. It was lunchtime and some employees left the building to spend their break in a little park. The weather was great and you could buy all kind of snacks at the streets around the park.  
  
Cole followed an elder woman, who left the building and walked to a bench in the sun. She sat down and took out her snack. Cole sat down next to her. He smiled at her unsurely and said politely. "Excuse me, I don't want to disturb you, but do you work for the Deacon Factory?"  
  
She looked at him curiously. "Yes, I do. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, that sounds probably not very sensitive, but I have read, that recently an employee of this company was murdered." The woman looked irritated. "Don't get me wrong, I have read, that he had been a lawyer and well, you know, I'm a lawyer, too. I'm searching desperately for a new job and therefore I would like to ask noncommittally, if the position is already filled."  
  
"Oh, I see." she said and smiled. "No, I don't think that you aren't sensitive. When I was job hunting the last time, I would have given everything to get a new job. That is a real difficult situation."  
  
"My name is Cole Turner." He gave her his hand. It was strange to use his new/ old name, but finally Cole Turner had been a lawyer. Although today he couldn't remember anything of it. Odd, he really couldn't imagine, that he had been a lawyer, how could he have chosen this job?  
  
"Barbara Hartwell," she took his hand and looked sadly. "But I have to tell you, that the position is already assigned." She said excusing.  
  
"Oh, that was fast." he answered surprised.  
  
"Yes, but actually already before Samuels' death it was obvious, that he would leave the factory. He had problems with the executive floor, you have to know. He was on the Board, but that didn't help him."  
  
"That means the position was already vacant before. That's a pity. But perhaps it's better, I mean, who wants to profit from the death of anybody?"  
  
"Yes that's right, but the Deacon Factory is a good employer, nevertheless" she stopped. "we have had some problems, since the old boss retired from business."  
  
"Who is the head of the company now?"  
  
"His son Michael Deacon. And his only interest is money. Therefore he had changed the whole production line. In the past we have produced mainly goods for the private sector, only a small field produced hunting weapons, shotguns and accessories. But Michael Deacon wanted to concentrate the whole production upon the manufacture of arms. Therefore he had had problems with Samuels. He had the opinion, that it was a stupid thing to close the other lines. But Deacon had joined a group and they took the view, that this company should only manufacture arms to make big money." She sighed. "Today everybody ever thinks of money."  
  
"Yes, that's terrible." Cole said philosophically.  
  
She was silent for a moment. Then it occurred to her "You know, perhaps I could help you. The Deacon Factory belongs to a group. Together with an armament factory in the north of the town and a chemical plant outside the city. I can give you the address of the personnel department, which is responsible for the armament factory. I know the head there and when you mention my name, you will probably get an interview." She smiled and searched for something.  
  
"That is really kind of you." Cole said quickly. Who knows, if he remembered his past some day, he would like to work as a lawyer again. Then he could even use this address and call there.  
  
When she found a business card, she told him. "The head of the armament factory, Jared Canterro, is a college friend of our boss, you have to know."  
  
"Where did they study?"  
  
"Oh they studied economics here. Canterro comes from a poor family. Michael Deacon's father had financed him while he studied. Yes, the old Deacon was a magnanimous man, you can't compare him with his son." Barbara shook her head and gave Cole the card. She has written a telephone number on the back side. "I hope it can help you."  
  
"I don't know how to thank you."  
  
"Don't mention it. I'm glad to help." She said and looked happily.  
  
When Cole returned to the paper, he decided to visit Helen. Although he wasn't sure, what he should tell her. "Hello Helen." he said, when he entered her office.  
  
"Hello." She looked up. "Did you get out anything of Debra White? I could really need it. I have to write the article for the Saturday issue."  
  
"Already for Saturday?" Cole asked surprised. Then nothing more would happen, Helen would be safe, wouldn't she? "Did you get further information?" He sat down on the chair opposite to her.  
  
"No, unfortunately not. I have to take the facts, I already have. And you probably didn't find out anything, too, did you?" She looked at him sadly.  
  
"No, I'm sorry. But I'm convinced, that Debra White has really had an accident and lost her memory." He grinned. "You know, I'm an expert on."  
  
"Wonderful, but that doesn't help me." She groaned.  
  
"Well Helen, be careful." She looked at him surprised. "You know, when you were vanished out of the office in this warehouse, two men appeared. I think they wanted to intimidate you." He said calmly.  
  
She looked at him shocked. "Why do you tell me only now?"  
  
"I wasn't absolutely sure. You told me, that I fell asleep, and I didn't want to hear, that it was only a dream." He tried to explain.  
  
"But you are sure, that you didn't sleep. That there had been two men?" He nodded and Helen thought about it. "Perhaps it was only pure chance."  
  
Cole looked at her sceptically. "You don't really mean that, do you? Finally somebody had sent you this message and it wasn't Trisha Raymond." He bent to her. "Somebody wanted to set a trap for you. They probably wanted to intimidate you. You should drop the story."  
  
"I don't know, this story isn't that hot, or what do you think?" She looked at him uncertainly.  
  
"I also don't know Helen." He lent back. "But I suggest you, don't tell too many people about this story. Don't search for new informants. You already have enough facts to write your article. It'll kick up a lot of dust, and you'll reach what you want." He tried to convince her.  
  
She looked at him thoughtfully. "Probably you are right." She said finally.  
  
He looked at her in relief. It was easier, than he had thought. And luckily he didn't have to tell her too much.  
  
The next day, Cole drove to the university. He wanted to check the yearbooks for Michael Deacon and Jared Canterro. It didn't take a long time to find them. Michael Deacon seemed to be one of this rich guys, who wrangled his way through his studies. Whereas Jared Canterro was probably a hard worker. Surprisingly both passed their university degree with distinction.  
  
Cole couldn't imagine, that they were friends, they seemed to be too different. He looked further and to his surprise he found a photo of Harold Fleisher. It was difficult to recognize him, because he had put on weight. Was it only by chance, that Deacon and Canterro had studied together with the director of the department, which was responsible for all social spending?  
  
Cole went back to the shelves, where he found the yearbook and looked around. He saw university journals on another shelf, he went there and took the respective issues out of the shelf. He walked back to his place and sat down again. He leafed through the journals and found a lot of photos, where the three were shown together. On the photos was mostly a young woman, too. He looked at the caption with the names. The woman was Meagan Pattens, this name didn't mean a thing to him. Cole wondered, what the bond of this four students could have been, because they didn't look like real friends. If he only had the possibility to talk to somebody, who knew them. He looked into the journal again, when he suddenly recognized somebody. He read the name and knew, that he was right. It was Timothy Clark, Cole had met him while he made a report about an opening of a shopping mall. Clark was an owner of a small shop for computer and accessories. His shop was situated in a street quite near to the new mall and he has feared, that he would have to close his business, because of the superior rivalry.  
  
Cole took some other yearbooks and found out, that Timothy Clark started his studies two years later than the four. But nevertheless he would know something about them. Cole was convinced that it was worth trying. He looked at his watch and noticed that he had to go back to the paper. But in the afternoon he would have some time to visit Timothy Clark.  
  
In the afternoon Cole drove to Timothy Clark's shop. When he arrived in front of it, he saw that it was nearly empty. On the window were put up signs with the writing 'clearance sale'. Cole shook his head thoughtfully. Unfortunately Clark was right in the end, he has had no chance against the mall. Cole went to the door and opened it. The shop was still opened to sell the last goods.Timothy Clark was standing behind the cash desk. He looked depressed. Cole walked to him and told him, who he was. Timothy recognized him.  
  
"I'm very sorry that you have to close your shop." Cole said.  
  
"Well, you know, I already knew it, the last time we met. But I still had a little hope. But now I have to face the facts and close the shop, otherwise it'll be my ruin."  
  
"That is probably very hard for you."  
  
"Yes, I set my heart on this shop. But life goes on, doesn't it?"  
  
Cole nodded. "And what do you want to do now?"  
  
"I'll get in on the business of one of my friends. It isn't the same as an own business, but what shall I do?" He asked and smiled sadly. "But you didn't come to listen to my problems."  
  
"No, I hope you can help me. I remembered, that you have studied economics at the university here." He told Timothy what he wanted to know.  
  
"Of course I remember this four students. That was a very odd crowd. They always clung together and we wondered how they could harmonize with each other. I think they belonged together, because they had the same desire for money, success, power however you want to call it. This guys would stop at nothing to get there."  
  
Probably they really stopped at nothing to reach their goal, Cole thought.  
  
"It was rumored, that they worshiped the devil or something like that."  
  
"The devil?"  
  
"Yes, it was said, that they hold such rituals, ceremonies. Some students claimed that they have seen it. And this four always wore necklaces with a mysterious pendant, I don't know what the meaning of it was." Timothy thought about it then he said. "I don't know more about it. But it was really strange, that all members of this club graduated from university with best grade. Especially Michael Deacon was neither clever nor diligent. And I think you should be at least one of it to get such a graduation. They were a confirmed team and the professors accepted them."  
  
"Strange, nobody wanted to take action against them?"  
  
"No, nobody dared to say anything against them. A story went round, that a student who wanted to interfere in their matters, woke up in the hospital some days later. After that everybody kept back. Because beside Canterro the other ones came from rich families. Fleisher's father was a big shot in politics for example. And it was probably disappointing for him, that his son ended up in the town government." He stopped for a while. "I was always wondering about it, too. But he is the head of the department for town planning. Probably that's a lot of power and power was, what he strove for most."  
  
"I thought he is the director of the department for social spending?"  
  
"Yes, that's a part of it. But the decision about building projects is in his sphere of influence, too. It wouldn't surprise me at all, if this idiot is responsible for this block." He looked angrily at the mall.  
  
"And who is Meagan Pattens?"  
  
"Oh, the lovely Meagan Pattens, later she married Jared Canterro. They always seemed to me cold as ice. I always thought, non of them would ever get married, but probably it was only a business. She is the head of the chemical plant, which belongs to Canterro's armament factory."  
  
They heard the sound of a gong and a new customer entered the shop. Cole thanked Timothy for his help and wished him the best for his future. Then he left the shop.  
  
He couldn't imagine, what this mysterious club was meant to be. The four students probably kept their distance to the other students and that encouraged their fantasy. The four only banded together to help one another for their mutual interests. But that all of them got such a good graduation was strange. Probably bribery was involved, finally their parents were rich and had influence. And Canterro seemed to be obsessed by ambitions, so it could be possible that he had got his good marks without any support. 


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
  
Friday afternoon Helen dropped into Cole's office. "Hello Kevin, do you want to come for a coffee with me? I need a break, otherwise my head will explode. I'll have to finish this stupid article this evening." She groaned.  
  
Cole was just on his way home, but he agreed to go with her. He took his jacket and they left the building. "Where is Peter?" He asked on their way to the cafe. It was quite near to the paper, on the other side of the street.  
  
"He has to take some pictures in the center. He'll come back to the paper after that. But I think I'll send him home. I don't know whether I'm coming or going, even without him. I don't know, how I shall manage to finish this article." They arrived and sat down at a table in front of the cafe.  
  
"I thought you have already finished it." Cole pretended to be surprised.  
  
"What made you think of it? You know, I'm always waiting until the last minute. I need this surge of adrenaline and commotion to write a good article." She looked at him all ready. "But this time I took things too far."  
  
Cole laughed he knew Helen's working method, it was pretty chaotic, every time when she was writing an important article. "I'm convinced you'll manage it again."  
  
"Let's hope so. I would really like to change it. This situations cost me some years of my life." She lent back and sighed.  
  
"You don't want to change it. Go on, admit it."  
  
She drank her coffee and thought about it. "Unfortunately I think you are right."  
  
15 minutes later, they left the cafe and walked back to the newspaper. Helen had to finish her work and Cole wanted to drive home. When they arrived at the stoplight opposite to the building, they had to wait for a while. Suddenly Cole heard a muffled noise and noticed that Helen bent on her knees. He tried to hold her, but she fell on the ground. He kneeled down and wanted to help her to stand up again, but when he touched her back, he noticed blood on his hands. "Oh my god, Helen. What's wrong with you?" He stared at her horrified.  
  
She had a glazed look and whispered "It hurts so much."  
  
Cole was in panic and looked around. People were passing by and he yelled at them "Call the ambulance and the police. I think somebody had shot at her." A crowd of people assembled around them immediately . They stated to talk insistently to him. But Cole didn't listen, he tried to stop the bleeding with his jacket, but after a while it was already covered with blood. He really hoped that somebody had called an ambulance. He talked calmly to Helen. "Hold on, Helen. The ambulance will be here soon. Don't worry, everything will be alright, definitely, I promise you." He looked up. "Where is the ambulance?" he flared up at the crowd. The people jumped with fright, but a man finally told him, that the ambulance was on it's way and would arrive soon. Cole turned back to Helen. It seemed to him as if she would turn paler. Why couldn't this damn ambulance hurry up? He nearly exploded. Hewould never forgive himself, if something happened to Helen. The minutes passed by like hours. Cole held her hand and supposed to feel that her pulse beat got slower. With his other hand he still held his jacket at her wound. It became saturated with Helen's warm blood. He didn't know, how he could stop the bleeding.  
  
Finally after terrible hours, as it seemed to Cole, he heard the siren of an ambulance. The medics forced their way through the crowd. They put Helen on a stretcher and connected her with a drip. On their way back to the ambulance car, Cole held Helen's hand. He didn't want to let her hand go. A little later they arrived at the ambulance and got on. The medics agreed that he could come with them.  
  
"What has happened?" One of them asked.  
  
"I don't know, she was hit by a bullet, I think. We were standing at the stoplight and then ... I don't know, how it could happen. Will she recover?" He asked and looked at the man despairing.  
  
"We'll get her back on her feet again." He tried to calm Cole down, but it didn't seem to work.  
  
When they arrived at the hospital, Helen were taken to the intensive-care unit. Cole could only look behind her helplessly.  
  
Finally he had to go to the admission. They needed Helen's particulars. He got through with it more or less, he couldn't understand, how they could pester him with such ridiculous and pedantic questions in this moment. Angrily he expressed his feelings. After it, he had the difficult duty to inform Peter about it. He called him and told that Helen was admitted to the hospital. But before he could tell him something else about it, Peter already told him, that he would come immediately and hung up. Cole hoped, that he wasn't too far away from the hospital, otherwise he could have an accident and end up in the intensive-care unit, too. But a few minutes later, an unharmed Peter rushed into the hospital. When he saw Cole, he walked to him and assailed him with questions. "What has happened? How is Helen?"  
  
"I don't know, the doctors don't say anything." He decided not to tell him, that somebody had shoot at her.  
  
Peter tried to find a doctor, who could tell him more about Helen's state of health. But he wasn't successful, too. Therefore he went back and sat down enervated. He turned to Cole and asked. "Can you tell me, what has finally happened?"  
  
Before Cole could answer a police officer appeared in front of them. "Kevin Torrens? I have a few questions." he asked both of them.  
  
"Now? I think it can wait!" Cole answered angrily.  
  
"You probably want that we'll catch the offender soon, don't you?" The officer looked at him disapproving.  
  
"Offender?" Peter asked furiously. "Which offender?"  
  
"Helen Carter was hit by a bullet." The police officer informed Peter factually.  
  
"Somebody shot at her? Why didn't you tell me anything about it? Who should do that?"  
  
"I'm here to find it out." The officer explained him. Then he looked at Cole, as if he was the criminal. "If Mr. Torrens would deign to answer my questions finally ...."  
  
Reluctant Cole told him shortly what had happened and added angrily. "I have no idea, how it could happen or who it was." Even if you think that, he wanted to add grimly, but didn't do it. Okay, he suspected somebody, but he didn't want to tell the police about it at that moment.  
  
The police officer gave him his card and told him, that he'll have to come to the police station next week to sign his evidence. Wonderful, what was this scene in aid of? Cole thought angrily.  
  
After the police officer left them, a doctor appeared. He told them, that the operation took it's normal course under the circumstances. Now they could only wait. He recommended them to go home and relax, they would call, if there was a change. But they didn't want to.  
  
While Peter was allowed to have a look at Helen, Cole thought about the offenders. He was convinced, that Helen's article had something to do with it. This damn Phoebe, she had promised him, that Helen was out of danger. The longer he thought about it, the more angry he got. When Peter returned, he walked to him and told him, that he had to go for a while. He had to deal with something or better someone. Peter couldn't understand, how his friend could let him down at this moment, but he couldn't detain him.  
  
Cole got off. He wanted to meet Phoebe, he was so furious and he needed somebody, he could take it out on. When he rang at her door, Phoebe opened it. He didn't pay attention to her and burst into the house. She turned around and looked at him asking. "Did I ask you to come in?"  
  
He turned to her and hissed at her nastily. "I have trusted you, and now Helen could die and you are responsible for that." He stared at her angrily.  
  
"I don't understand a word, what has happened?"  
  
"Somebody shot at Helen." He looked at her accusing. "I was there but I couldn't help her. Her ... blood was everywhere." he uttered. "You have told me, that she wouldn't be in danger."  
  
"I ..." Phoebe began horrified.  
  
"Have you told anybody about it, your informant for example?"  
  
"Who? No, of course not." Phoebe affirmed.  
  
Meanwhile Paige and Piper had entered the hall and looked at them suspiciously. While Cole started to walk up and down, he didn't care about them.  
  
"What's going on?" Piper asked.  
  
Phoebe watched her. "Somebody had shot at Cole's girlfriend Helen." she explained them.  
  
"We'll take care about it." Cole tried to imitate Phoebe. "Keep out of it. Don't ask questions anymore, then nothing can happen."  
  
"And did you keep to it?" Piper turned to him.  
  
He looked at her irritated. "That's non of your business."  
  
"Well, we know all about that, of course you didn't." Piper shook her head. "That's typical of you."  
  
He went to her and asked coldly. "Are you insinuating that I'm responsible for Helen's accident?" He stared at her angrily.  
  
"No, Cole." Phoebe tried to ease the situation off. But he didn't notice it. They got on his nerves with their suspicious looks. "It's so easy for you to shift the blame to me, you have always done that, haven't you? I got the part of the villain in your perfect little world." They were silent and they knew more about him, than he did. But they didn't deign to tell him anything about it, that drove him mad. "You think you are so good. You remain silent about my former misdeeds. But it would be very interesting for me, to get to know what was so awful, that you can't tell me about it. Is that so hard to understand?"  
  
"That's not the point!" Paige turned to him. "We're talking about your girlfriend and that you have put her life at risk with your stupid investigations. But you could never take responsibility for your actions."  
  
"Stop it, Paige." Phoebe snapped at her. "That's got nothing to do with it. It's another situation."  
  
Cole turned uncertainly to the living-room and ran his hand over his forehead. Did he really endanger Helen with his investigations? But it was impossible, nobody could know about it. And even if, then they would have been after him. But he should have told her about everything, that has been his duty towards her.  
  
"It's my fault." He muttered and sat down at the sofa. He bent forward and lowered his head into his hands. Phoebe went to him slowly and kneeled down. She touched his hands carefully. He looked up and she could see despair in his eyes, he wanted to stifle with all his might. That this woman meant such a lot to him, moved her. It really hurt, as long as she could remember she was everything to him. And now there was Helen. But that wasn't important at the moment, Phoebe tried to calm herself down. She looked at him calmly and said. "It's not your fault, Cole."  
  
"But I should have told her everything."  
  
"But that wouldn't have changed anything, and you know it."  
  
"But she could have protected herself better, she could have refused to write the article."  
  
"And would she have done it?"  
  
"No." He said after a while.  
  
"That's it. You can't change things like that. It's fate. And she'll recover, definitely. Only the person who shot at her is responsible for it. That was carefully planned long beforehand. Whoever it was, he wanted to stop her from writing the article."  
  
"Yes." Cole said bitterly. "And they have done it." He closed his eyes. "The article should have published tomorrow. But it isn't ready yet."  
  
"Then they have won." Piper said, who entered the living-room, too.  
  
Cole looked at her thoughtfully. "No," he said and jumped up. "I won't let them win." He rushed to the door.  
  
"What will you do?" Phoebe asked and hurried behind him.  
  
"That's my business." He turned around and looked at Phoebe. "Don't worry. I have it under control." He opened the door and left the house. Phoebe looked behind him.  
  
"Who does he think he is? Had a nerve to shout at us." Paige got worked up about Cole.  
  
"But he is right." Phoebe turned around to her sisters. "I've promised him, that she won't be in danger. But she was. And we didn't care about this problem the last days, not a bit."  
  
"Phoebe, the last days were busy, we had no time to take care about it." Piper remembered.  
  
"Yes, I know, but I should have agreed, that he warned her. I was too selfish, I only thought about our problems, our safety, not about her safety."  
  
"If Cole had wanted to warn her, he would have done it. That she was hit by a bullet has nothing to do with demons. Such crimes happen in the real world, too. We can't help everybody." Piper tried to convince her.  
  
"Couldn't Leo help her?" Phoebe thought and turned to her sister. "Or you Paige?"  
  
"You know, that it's forbidden. And somebody could notice it. The doctors will pull her through without our help. Don't worry."  
  
Thoughtfully Phoebe went upstairs and said. "I know, you are right." But nevertheless she felt guilty, especially because she didn't cherish a great sympathy for Helen.  
  
Cole went back to the building of the Daylight Express. Now in the late evening the corridors and offices were nearly empty. He went into Helen's office and saw that her computer was still switched on and her unfinished article was opened. He found countless notes and copies on her desk . He sat down and and started to read, what she had already written. It would be easy for him to finish her article, he decided. He knew the facts and he even knew more about it than Helen. He looked at his watch, he still had enough time. Everybody knew Helen's working method and they trusted her. She only needed to meet the deadline. So Cole called the editor and got the confirmation, that they were still waiting for her article. They hadn't planned another one yet, because they didn't know anything about Helen's accident. The editor told him, that he won't mind if Cole finishs it.  
  
Therefore Cole started to work. He adapted Helen's style and added the missing facts. Helen had compiled a lot of interesting data about the corruption scandals and she could verify all of them. Although Cole knew, that there was more to it than meets the eyes, he didn't mention the Deacon factory or Adam Samuel's death, he only confirmed to Helen's information. Supplementary he mentioned the mysterious accidents of Helen's informants. In between he called the hospital to inform himself about Helen's state of health. But they couldn't tell him anything new. At the end of the article he informed the readers about Helen's accident and that she stays in the hospital now. They should come to their own conclusions, he thought grimly. After he had read the article repeatedly, he gave it to the editorial office and they passed it on without proofreading.  
  
After Phoebe entered her room, she went to the wardrobe and kneeled down. She took a small box from the bottom at the back, where she put it two years ago. She couldn't bring herself to threw away the things in it. But she had forced herself to forget them and not to think about them anymore. Now she put the casket on the bed. She took a little key and opened it to put out some objects. It were her souvenirs about her time with Cole, they consisted above all of photos. It was hard for her to look at them without sadness. In those days they have been so lucky despite of all the problems. But there was the letter, too, she got after his death as the source. And there was her engagement ring, he had given her just before the source had attacked them. She took it into her hand. It was the last pure real moment between them. Then she had thought that it wasn't the right moment to get the ring. But it was well timed. If Cole had chosen another moment after it, she couldn't have thought about it without nagging doubts or a bad feeling. The ring should always remember her, that he loves her. No matter what was happening, he had told her. If he had suspected, what would happen? And why did it have to happen? What would have happened, if he didn't become the source. Would they still be happy together, or would they have all died that day? Probably, but no, stop it, she forced herself. It was very different. He couldn't resist the offer to become the source of all evil. Finally he was a demon. Right, that was the explanation, she could life with. But was it the truth? She didn't ask this questions for a long time, if she ever thought about it at all. In those days it had hurt too much to think about it. She had found only one solution not to think about it anymore. To repress it and to forget it. And finally she had managed to think that everything between them had been wrong and bad.  
  
She heard that somebody opened the door. She looked up and saw Piper. Piper saw immediately what was spread out at Phoebe's bed. "Are you alright?" she asked her sister. She had already feared, that Phoebe couldn't deal that easy with the fact that Cole was still alive. Although she had tried to convince them, that she had no problems with it.  
  
"Well, I don't know, what I shall think or feel."  
  
"Because of Cole?"  
  
"Mm. You know, I think it's not fair, that Helen can have a usual relationship with him. And we always ran into difficulties when we were together."  
  
"Somebody shot at her" Piper pointed out.  
  
"Yes, I know. But I don't talk about that. She'll recover, I'm sure. And I really hope that." Phoebe added quickly and looked at her sister carefully.  
  
"I have no doubts about that Phoebe." Piper sat down on the bed beside her. "And I can even understand, if you are a little bit jealous  
  
"I'm not jealous!" Phoebe tried to convince her sister and herself. "It's only.. Why did we never have a real chance? " She looked at Piper. "Well I know, we had a chance, even a few, but it wasn't only our fault, that it didn't work. Helen doesn't have problems with this damn demon rubbish... Oh forget what I have said." She shook her head sadly.  
  
"I always feared that it's not the real truth, that you don't feel anything for him anymore. But it isn't more, is it? You don't love him anymore?" Piper asked and had got a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach.  
  
"No, of course not. Even if there is still something, I don't want it. I really thought that I was through with him. At the end I only wanted, that he would vanish out of my life. I didn't want that he dragged me into his problems anymore. But after it, I was never blissful again." She sighed. "I have never chosen to fall in love with a half demon. You are lucky, you have Leo." She looked at her sister with a sad smile. "If you asked me a few days ago, I would tell you, no I don't feel anything for him anymore, definitely not. He had hurt me too much. He was unpredictable and dangerous. But today it's different. There is no need to be frightened anymore. Finally he is no demon anymore, who wanted me obsessively." She looked at Piper and saw her worried expression. "But that doesn't mean anything. You don't have to worry." She tried to calm her. "No matter, if he has a girlfriend now, or not, even if I still loved him, I wouldn't take the risk again. Finally he is still unpredictable more or less. And even if he isn't a demon anymore, it won't work, never, I know that. We already had this situation and we all know the result." She said sadly.  
  
"I'm very sorry Phoebe, but I think you took the right decision. Steer clear of Cole." She stroked Phoebe's hair. "I don't want that he'll hurt you again."  
  
"Don't worry, that won't happen. I can take care of myself." Phoebe said, but wasn't sure, if she was really able to do it.  
  
When Cole arrived at the hospital again, Helen's state of health became stabilized. But the doctors didn't want to be committed, because there could crop up complications. But it seemed as if Helen was over the worst. Relieved Cole walked to Peter, who was sitting shattered at a chair in a waiting room. "Hey, how are you?" he asked him and sat down on the chair beside him.  
  
Peter ran his hands over his face and looked at him tensed. "Where have you been?"  
  
"I have finished Helen's article."  
  
Peter stared at him disbelieving. "That isn't true, is it?" He couldn't believe it. He stood up and walked to the window. "Helen was fighting for her life and you couldn't think of anything better than to profit from it."  
  
Cole went beside him. "I didn't want to capitalize on Helen's accident. You got it wrong."  
  
"Is that so?" Peter turned to him. "What kind of friend are you, if you clear off to show the editors what a professional journalist you are, that you always think of the paper first. That's great for your promotion."  
  
"That is rubbish. Do you really think that's the reason why I did it? I'm your friend."  
  
"I know nothing about you. You want to be our friend? What you did today tells a different story." Peter stared at him angrily.  
  
"I've done it for Helen, and if you really thought about it, you would know that." Cole tried to justify himself.  
  
"Surely, for Helen. Rush off, I don't want to see you anymore." Peter walked back to his chair and sat down again.  
  
"Well, you don't want to see me anymore? I'm sorry, but I have the same right to stay here as you have." He couldn't allow that Peter's unjustified accusation would drive him out of the hospital. He turned to the window and stared into the dark night. The atmosphere in the room was cold as ice.  
  
"I really don't believe that you could do that to me. First you allowed that Helen was hit by a bullet and then you didn't care about her. You didn't mind, if she was still alive, because you had to snatch this damn article away from her. And now you have to get on my nerves because you have to stand stubbornly at the window, as if I wouldn't have any other problems."  
  
Cole didn't want whether to justify himself nor to listen to Peter's moaning anymore. He walked to him and told him. "Okay, I'll let you have your own way. As you wish I'll go." He walked along the corridor and left the building.  
  
In front of the hospital he decided to walk back to the Daylight Express. It was a warm Friday night and there were still a lot of people on the streets. He could hear loud laughter coming out of the restaurants and bars, he passed by. The people had a good time at the weekend. Cole enjoyed it to walk anonymous along the busy streets. He was incredibly angry about Peter. How could he condemn him without knowing all facts? Cole knew that he had done the right thing. It had helped Helen more to writie her article than to wait in the hospital. That was just what she would have done, he had no doubts about it. And Peter would apologize, if he had a clear head again. He shouldn't hold against Peter, he only overreacted in an extreme situation. But nevertheless Cole couldn't shake it off that easily, because he felt that he knew this feeling to be condemned without knowing all facts. He had to know it from his former life, and that was disturbing.  
  
When he reached the building of the Daylight Express, he entered the basement. There was the system which was necessary to print the paper. The noise was indescribable and the workers wore noise protection. From the point, where Cole was standing he had an overall view at the whole network of machines, presses, rolls and wires. He watched the complicated interlock of paper and machines and breathed in the smell of fresh paper and printer's ink. Paper rushed through the machines and at the end there was a newspaper fresh from the press. It was unusual, that a journalist was there, but Cole had felt the need to see, how Helen's article was printed. He had decided to bring her a fresh newspaper. He stopped for a while surrounded by the noise, then he walked to the place, where the newspapers were packaged and taken away. Some workers knew him and he got a Daylight Express fresh from the press .  
  
He left the building and walked along the streets to the hospital. He dropped into a small restaurant to eat something on his way back to the hospital. It was quite empty and he sat down at a free table. He put the paper on the table and turned it to the page with Helen's article. He wondered if the revelations about the town government would have reverberations. He at least hoped the right people would call to account for Helen's accident. He wouldn't give up, until this affair would be solved.  
  
When he arrived at the hospital, he didn't want to return to the waiting room, where Peter had waited. Although he assumed, that the doctors had allowed Peter to go to Helen's sick bay meanwhile. Cole looked around and searched for a doctor. But at this time, the corridors were nearly empty, only a few nurses rushed through it. He walked to the room of the ward sisters. He met an overtired ward sister there. She invited him to a cup of coffee and told him, that they have sent Peter home, because he was shattered. They could convince him, that his girlfriend wasn't in danger anymore and that he couldn't help her, if he was bushed. Reluctantly he had agreed and they had called him a taxi.  
  
Cole asked the sister, if he could see Helen for a while. After some hesitating she agreed and told him the way. Cole thanked her and set off. Helen's room was at the end of the corridor. When he entered it, he saw Helen calmly lying in her bed. Only a few tubes at her arm were a sign of her recent operation. She was pale, but she was sleeping peacefully. Still holding the newspaper in his hands Cole sat down on a chair. It was quite comfortable and he decided to stay there until Helen would wake up. Whatever he did, he wouldn't be able to sleep this night.  
  
Helen stirred in her bed only when it was getting light. Cole, who had dozed a little, jumped up and hurried to her bed. She opened her eyes and looked at him confused.  
  
"Good morning." Cole said. "I'm so glad, that you are still with us." He smiled.  
  
"Yes I too." She answered and made a face hearing her croaking voice. "What has happened?"  
  
He shook his head. "That's not important at the moment."  
  
"Somebody shot at me." She remembered. "My article, ... they wanted to prevent ... the article?"  
  
"I have something for you." Cole interrupted her and showed her the Daylight Express with her article. "I've finished it. Of course not as good as you would have done, but ..."  
  
She looked at the paper in front of her nose and read the headline of the article. Then she looked back at Cole and smiled thankfully. "Thanks Kevin, I'm so glad about it. Somebody wanted to stop me, didn't he?"  
  
"Don't care about it at the moment. They haven't managed it. You should recover first." He looked at her, but she was already fallen asleep. He put the newspaper on the night-stand and left the room. 


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19  
  
Phoebe couldn't sleep very well. She tossed and turned, because she was worried and had strange dreams of her past. They left behind a sad, melancholic feeling. Wore out she went to the breakfast table and sat down. When her sisters saw her, they wanted to cheer her up and decided that they would make a long shopping tour. But to their surprise, Phoebe turned it down. She wasn't in the mood for a shopping tour. It struck Piper and Paige as rather strange. Usually a lot had to happen at the same time to keep Phoebe away from shopping. Her sisters tried to persuade her to come with them, but she didn't want. Finally they had to accept that it would be better to leave her alone. Piper hoped that she had taken the right decision.  
  
When her sisters had left the house, Phoebe went back to her room. She got dressed and searched for the note with Cole's address. When she finally found it, she didn't think about it for a long time, but decided immediately to visit him. She wanted to know, how Helen was feeling ... and perhaps how he was, too.  
  
After Cole arrived at home in the morning, he laid down in bed. He tried to relax, but he could hardly sleep. At lunch time he heard a ringing at his door. Still half asleep he went to the door. He supposed that the troublemaker would be Peter, who would like to apologize. But when he opened the door, ot wasn't Peter but Phoebe standing there. He looked at her tired and disbelieving.  
  
"Oh, excuse me, did I wake you up?" she asked.  
  
"No, don't worry, I couldn't really sleep. Come in." He stepped aside and let her in. He closed the door and Phoebe walked into the living room. He hurried behind her and removed some things from the chair. "Sit down."  
  
Phoebe sat down and looked at him. "Have you been in the hospital all night? How does she feel?"  
  
"Helen is alright, luckily she'll recover. She already woke up in the morning."  
  
"Have you been there the whole time?"  
  
"No," he answered tired. "I have finished Helen's article and then I went to the hospital." He looked around and searched for the newspaper. Finally he remembered that he had left it at Helen's night stand. He looked at Phoebe. "I hope you don't mind, when I'll take a shower?"  
  
"No," she looked up at him.  
  
He looked back searching and asked suspiciously. "And you won't take the opportunity to vanish immediately?"  
  
"No, I'll stay here." When she saw his suspicious look she added. "I'll prepare breakfast. You probably didn't eat anything yet."  
  
"I don't know, if I have anything there." He excused.  
  
"I'll find something."  
  
"Okay." He said and went into the bathroom, while Phoebe started to inspect the apartment. At the right side she saw two doors, one to the bathroom and the other one to his bedroom, she supposed. On the other side was the kitchen and a table with chairs in front of the window. She looked around surprised. The apartment was different to his former ones. It was cozy, although his things were lying everywhere. In the past he has always been orderly. But perhaps he has had too less things, she thought. She wondered, how it has been, when he was a mortal and lived with her for the short time. She remembered that his things laid around, too. Perhaps his sense of order had been a demonical habit, she thought amused.  
  
She really didn't find a lot to eat in the kitchen. Finally she made coffee and found some cookies. She went to the table and sat down. She looked out of the window and saw the sun shining. It would become a wonderful day. What was she doing her? She suddenly wondered. She should better be on a shopping tour with her sisters and not here, she thought.  
  
A few minutes later, Cole came in again, he had changed his clothes. "Now I feel better." He said and sat down opposite to her. He poured himself a cup of coffee and stated. "And you are still here."  
  
"Did you have your doubts?"  
  
"Mm," he shrugged his shoulders and looked at her. "I never know where I stand with you."  
  
Phoebe could say the same with him, but she didn't say a word. He took a cooky and looked through the window. Then he looked back to her and asked suddenly. "Will you give me this day?"  
  
"What? This day?" she didn't know, what he wanted.  
  
"Yes, if you didn't have other plans, I would like to have your day. Finally you owe me something."  
  
"Don't you want to visit Helen in the hospital today?" Phoebe asked surprised.  
  
"I have been there this morning and she felt alright. And I think Peter will be there and he doesn't want to see me there at the moment." he told her.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
"Yes, Peter." He saw her asking look. "You know him, he is the photographer." He tried to help her along. When she was still looking uncomprehending, he added. "Peter, my neighbour, her boyfriend."  
  
"Her boyfriend?" Phoebe asked surprised. "I thought you ...."  
  
"Me?" he started to grin. "You thought Helen is my girlfriend?"  
  
"Yes, why not?" she muttered grimly, but she couldn't deny, that she just felt much better. Well, Helen was Peter's girlfriend. They were a nice couple, much better than her and Cole. So the old woman on the ball was wrong, she thought gloating.  
  
"You were jealous." Cole noticed to his satisfaction.  
  
"No." she said insulted. "Why should I?"  
  
He grinned and didn't want to say anything. "Well, what do you say? Do you already have better plans for this day? I don't think so."  
  
"No, by chance I don't have any plans for today. You can have my day, on one condition." She looked at him seriously. "No questions about your former life."  
  
"Okay, it's alright with me." He agreed. "I'm too tired for this today."  
  
"And this is the favour I owe to you." She said more to herself then to him.  
  
"Mm," he looked at her sceptically. "Well, it's a favour to spend the day with me? That sounds very enthusiastic." He meant, but it couldn't spoil his day.  
  
Phoebe had said the sentence, to calm herself, she needed an excuse, why she took the risk. It wasn't easy to admit that she wanted to spend the day with him. And it was true, that it would be a relief to her, if she didn't have to answer his questions. "Okay," she turned to him. "What are your plans for this day?"  
  
He leant back and thought about it. "Something to relax." he looked out of the window. "What do you think about a picnic at the beach?" he asked and added. "Today we won't have a thunderstorm." He looked at her and smiled.  
  
"Sorry, but I don't wear the right clothes for the beach." she pointed out.  
  
"That isn't a problem. We could stop at your home on our way to the beach and you can change your dress."  
  
Phoebe thought about it. Piper and Paige would still be on their shopping tour and Cole could wait in his car, she decided. Therefore it wouldn't be a problem. "Okay, why not." she agreed.  
  
After Cole got his things together, they went to the Halliwell Manor by car. When they arrived in front of the house, Cole got off the car and followed Phoebe into the house, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Phoebe decided, that there was no need for a discussion, but she prayed that nobody was at home. Carefully she opened the door and noticed that the house was empty.  
  
Cole really looked around for the first time. Now he knew, that he had already been here in his former life. But nothing looked familiar to him.  
  
"My room is upstairs." Phoebe explained and wanted to go there quickly. But Cole followed her. She turned around and told him. "I'll have to change my clothes, therefore I think you should wait here."  
  
"But I would like to have a quick look at your room. Who knows, perhaps I remember something." When he saw her unwilling expression he added. "Don't worry, I'll go straight away again."  
  
She sighed. "Okay, why not." She finally knew that he wouldn't remember anything, therefore there was no need to act stupid.  
  
When they arrived in front of her room, he looked above. "And what is there?" He asked her.  
  
"Oh, nothing, only the attic and a lot of junk." Phoebe said quickly and pulled him into her room.  
  
Cole looked around interested, but nothing looked familiar to him. Frustrated he sat down at a chair in front of her dressing table. When he loohed at the table, he found a few photos. He took one of them and to his surprise he noticed Phoebe and himself. He looked at it closer. It was an odd feeling, to watch himself, without knowing, where and when the photos were taken. But it was the first real proof that he was really Cole. Phoebe and himself looked very happy and truly in love on the photos. Especially Phoebe exuded a lightheartedness. He looked at her and noticed that she had changed.  
  
Phoebe was just searching for her clothes and wanted to ask him to go downstairs again, when she looked at him and saw the photos in his hands. It suddenly struck her that they were still lying on the table. She hoped at least the letter would be in the casket. She walked to him quickly and closed the small box. He didn't notice it, because he was fascinated by the photos. "We look very happy on the photos, what has happened?" He asked and looked up.  
  
She went back to her bed and sat down. "The fate was against us." She answered shortly.  
  
"Fate?" He said sceptically. "You can change it."  
  
"Our experience has shown that it isn't that easy."  
  
"I thought we were in love. I think then you can eliminate all difficulties." he said convinced.  
  
"No, you can't. We have learnt it the hard way. I couldn't trust you anymore, that had destroyed my love to you." She looked down at a towel in her hands.  
  
"Mm," he looked at her thoughtfully. "Probably you should have trusted me. And if you really loved me, then you would have done it and we would have gotten over it."  
  
She looked up "You can't understand it, it was impossible. There were the circumstances, wrong decisions, everything went the wrong way, and even a lot of it wasn't within our power." She tried to explain him.  
  
"I can't believe that, if the love is strong enough, you'll always find a way. You only have to want it." He told her absolutely convinced of it.  
  
Phoebe rolled her eyes "Yes, you never realized it." She looked at him. "My god, Cole, you haven't changed at all."  
  
"Is that a compliment?"  
  
"No, on the contrary." She said, but had to smile against her will.  
  
"I see!" He simply didn't understand her.  
  
"Could you go downstairs now, I have to change my clothes."  
  
He left her room not satisfied with this discussion. On his way down he passed the laundry basket and saw the blue sailor's pullover. He took it and wondered, why she had kept it.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe wondered again, if it was very wise to spend the day with Cole. Finally she had promised Piper, that she wouldn't get involved with him again. But one day was nothing, she calmed herself. She only didn't have to let herself into discussions about their past. She changed her dress and went downstairs. She met Cole in the hallway holding the pullover in his hand. "Why did you keep this pullover?" He asked surprised.  
  
"I couldn't threw it away, finally it isn't mine."  
  
"Do you want to take it back?"  
  
"No, I think that's too much work. But if I pass by by chance, I'll do it." Phoebe thought.  
  
Cole took the pullover and they went to the car. On their way to the beach, they stopped at a delicatessen and bought food for their picnic. They arrived at the beach in the early afternoon. The beaches were already full of people and Phoebe told Cole, that she knew a calmer beach, where would be less people. But first they wanted to bring back the pullover.  
  
Cole parked at the street, not far away from the shelter. They got out and saw, that it wouldn't be so easy, because this part of the beach was very popular and full of people. Carefully they went to the cabin. Luckily the door was opened. Cole entered the room to put back the pullover and Phoebe was on guard. Unfortunately the owner of the cabin came back just at that time. Phoebe tried to divert him, but it wasn't crowned with success, because Cole just wanted to leave the room. The man got terribly excited about it. He supposed, that they wanted to steal something from him. They told him a hair-raising story, what calmed him down a little bit. Although he still watched them sceptically. He didn't know, what he should think about them and he inspected his cabin carefully. He noticed that nothing was missing and that they didn't held any of his things in their hands. Finally he chased them away.  
  
Laughing they went back to the car. "He really thought that we were thieves." Phoebe shook her head, still laughing. "Therefore I only borrowed this damn pullover from him. And I brought it back clean and nice- smelling." She said outraged.  
  
Cole looked at her searching. "Well, that happens, when I go to the beach with you. I nearly was arrested as a blameless citizen."  
  
"Yes, life with me is dangerous. Be cautious." she warned him.  
  
He looked at her conspiring and smiled. "I'll remember for the future."  
  
They drove on and Phoebe showed him a place, were less people where. They got out of the car and took their things. After a while they found a suitable place, where they could sit down. They spread out their things and sat down on the blanket. "Have we often been at the beach?" Cole asked suddenly.  
  
She lifted up her hand "Cole, you have promised me." she said firmly.  
  
He smiled. "I'm sorry, but it was worth a try."  
  
Phoebe shook her head and looked at him. Well, nice prospects, she thought, but finally she said. "We haven't been here together before."  
  
"Really?" He looked at her pleased. "That's good, then it's the first time for you and for me."  
  
Phoebe smiled and laid back. She looked at the clouds in the sky and the first time, she tried to imagine, how it would be for her, to loose her memory, to know nothing about herself and her past. He was dependent on her, that she would really tell him the truth. It had to be an awful feeling, that other people knew more about someone than oneself. She thought, what she would feel. Despite all the sad and terrible experiences she had to go through in her life, she wouldn't give up her memories. If Cole felt the same? He probably went through more bad than good things in his long life. So it was better for him, that he couldn't remember, wasn't it? But he also didn't know anything about them and she knew him good enough to know that he didn't want to miss the memory about them. She sighed, it wasn't her decision and finally she was happy to sit beside a not demonic Cole. She looked to him.  
  
He looked back and asked. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"How it would be to loose my memory." She confessed.  
  
"Well, it can be rather frightening, but I cope with it." He stated and continued. "The worst thing about it is, sometimes I feel, that I'll start to remember immediately when I see a new place, when I do something or when I talk to somebody, but nothing happens. That could drive you mad." He looked at her thoughtfully. "I don't even remember you." he said in a low voice.  
  
"I'm sorry." She whispered and she really meant it. She noticed, that she felt drawn towards Cole again more and more. She was playing with the fire. As a precaution she turned away from him to suppress these feelings. She sat up to watch the sea and asked noncommittal. "What have you done when you noticed, that you couldn't remember anything?"  
  
Cole sat up too and turned his head to look at her. "First I wanted to go to the police." he began. "But then I had a funny feeling, I thought it's the wrong decision to go there. I don't know why." He looked at her asking, but she didn't turn to him or say a word. Therefore he continued to tell her about his tries to find out more about his former life, he told her about his life in Seattle, how he met Helen and Peter and how he ended up at the Daylight Express.  
  
"Do you think it was a good decision to come to San Francisco?" she asked.  
  
"Yes!" he said with a grin and bent to her. "Or what do you think about it?"  
  
Finally she looked at him, his face was close to her's. She looked into his eyes and said "I don't know yet. If you asked less questions and kissed me instead, you might get a positive answer." She was surprised by her answer herself, but it was too late to revoke her offer, because he immediately seized the opportunity. He kissed her with the longing of somebody, who has waited for this chance for a long time. Surprisingly she felt the same, she didn't want to hold back, it was a day at the beach, the sun was shining and the waves were roaring and she simply wanted to be happy. She could think about the consequences tomorrow. She only wanted a carefree day at the sea, nothing more. And nothing would hinder her. Satisfied with this decision she freed herself from him carefully and jumped up. She pulled him up to and said. "I think we need a cooling now." She took his hand and they ran to the sea. At this time of the year the water was rather cold, but that didn't disturb them.  
  
Some time later they came back to their blankets, cold off and ready to attack the delicacy.  
  
"Can I ask you anything?" Cole asked. "But don't get excited immediately, you don't have to answer." She looked at him alarmed, when he added "I would like to know, when we first met each other."  
  
"Mm," she began carefully. "Okay, my sister and me had watched a murderer and you have been the district attorney."  
  
"Oh, I see. And you was deeply impressed of me from the first moment." He stated. "Of course I have won the case, haven't I?" he asked curiously. But when he looked at her, he mentioned, that he should have been content with her first answer, if he wanted to keep her in a good mood. But he had to mention one thing. "I really can't imagine, that I should have been a lawyer, not to mention a district attorney."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, I don't know, but I think I'm too quick-tempered and direct for this profession."  
  
"Oh, I see, but if you wanted, you really could be very cool and reserved."  
  
"But lawyer, that seems to me ...." he searched for the right words. "..boring, not very interesting." he shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"You think it's boring to put the baddies into prison?" She looked at him surprised.  
  
"But it isn't the point to lock them up." He started to justify himself. "It's a question of dull legal dodges. Everybody wants to win. As a result it can happen, that scoundrels are acquitted and small swindlers are sent to prison for the rest of their lives." he said thoughtfully. "Imagine, this guy, who shot at Helen isn't the real wirepuller, I'm convinced about it. But it will be more difficult to catch that person and to find something for what you can condemn him."  
  
"What did you find out about it?" Phoebe asked interested.  
  
"Not a lot. I found out that the director of the corrupt department for town planning, Harold Fleisher had studied together with today's head of the arms factory, Michael Deacon, today's head of an armament factory, Jared Canterro and today's head of a chemical plant Meagan Pattens, by the way now she is married with Jared Canterro. They belonged to an elitist group while they were studying together, they were thick as thieves and it was said that they held hidden rituals."  
  
"Rituals?"  
  
"Yes, it was said that mysterious invocations took place there and the other students called them devil worshipper." He laughed. "Yes, I know, it sounds rather mad, I wouldn't take it serious. Probably they weren't very popular and then rumors go round quickly. But it's a fact, that they all graduated from university with best grade. But I suppose that the money and influence of their parents was more important than a mysterious cult."  
  
From her experience Phoebe had another opinion. She suspected that the four really got involved with the underworld, to reach their goals. That would explain, why Quasta had helped them. But what did they have to give in return? She looked at Cole, who was still staring at the sea. She didn't want to share her thoughts with him. "Let's forget it and talk about something else." She said. "That shouldn't put a damper on us."  
  
"That's impossible." He smiled "The day is too perfect for that."  
  
Phoebe laid her arm around his shoulders and leaned on him. The thought suddenly occurred to her, that it was too easy to fall in love with him again.  
  
"You know, from the first moment we met, I felt that I know you. I mean, I don't remember but there was a closeness, familiarity." He tried to explain.  
  
Despite everything what had happened his explanation didn't give her a conflicting feeling. She turned her head and kissed him on his check then she rested her head on his shoulder. The beach grew empty slowly. She cuddled up to him and they watched the sunset at the sea. They didn't say a word, but there was a pleasant familiarity in this silence.  
  
When the sun was set, it was getting colder. They took on their clothes and got ready to leave. Slowly they strolled to the car. A lot of people were still in the promenade. "And what do you want to do now?" Phoebe asked curiously.  
  
"Let's go to a restaurant," He looked at his watch. "It isn't late yet."  
  
They drove to Cole's apartment and walked to the next restaurant which still had free tables. They sat down and Phoebe noticed that the restaurant had a dance floor. "Great," she said. "then we can dance afterwards." Cole didn't look very enthusiastic. "Yes, I know," Phoebe told him. "in the past you have also claimed, that you can't dance."  
  
"And that's the truth, nothing has changed."  
  
"Is that so? I've seen something else on the ball." He looked at her irritated. "Well, there was an old woman at the dance floor, who got on my nerves. She told me what Helen and you were such a wonderful couple."  
  
"Really?" Cole grinned. "And you didn't like it."  
  
"Well she was absolutely wrong." Phoebe said satisfied.  
  
"But you were shocked and as a result you suddenly felt faint."  
  
"You'd like that, wouldn't you." She flashed at him angrily.  
  
"Oh no, I forgot it, you had to rescue Trisha Raymond together with your husband." He teased her smirking. Phoebe didn't think that it was funny, but Cole spared her an answer, because he took her hand and said. "By the way, you looked beautiful that night."  
  
"Thanks." She looked at him over the table. It was a thrilling tension in the air. In this moment the waiter took them their food and they started to eat.  
  
Afterwards Phoebe could persuade Cole to dance with her. She leaned on him and closed her eyes. It was long ago that she felt that perfectly happy.  
  
When they left the restaurant, they walked back to his apartment. They didn't touch each other and were silent, both were lost in thoughts. Phoebe's car was parked in front of Cole's apartment. When they reached it Cole stopped and locked at her piercing. He asked carefully. "Do you want to come up with me? Finally a day has 24 hours, there are still some left, which belong to me." He held his hand out to her and added. "If you want."  
  
She looked at him and knew, that it would be wiser to say no. But she couldn't. She didn't want to be reasonable. Slowly she took his hand and they walked to the door.  
  
When they arrived in his apartment, Cole didn't turn on the light. He led Phoebe into his bedroom, which was filled with moonlight. It felt through the glass door of the balcony into the room. Cole felt as if he feverishly awaited this moment for a long time. He looked at her and noticed, that she felt the same. He embraced her closely and kissed her passionately. It was as if their bodies found together automatically. It seemed to Cole that he knew every touch, every breath, as if he has already had this experience before. Phoebe flung her arms around his neck. She knew, that she allowed their passion to pull down her strenuously built protective walls. It would be difficult to set them up again, but she couldn't stop. She would think about this problem later. At this moment she only wanted to feel his lips on hers and his hands on her body. She hugged him tighter and felt that they merged in each other.  
  
The bedroom was still bathed in moonlight, light as day, when Phoebe was lying in Cole's arms some time later. She was absolutely satisfied, but she couldn't sleep. She felt Cole lying beside her and she heard his calm regular breath. She kissed him softly on his forehead and freed herself carefully from his embrace. She put on one of his shirts lying on a chair and smiled, when she noticed his agreeable smell. Silently she opened the door to the balcony and stepped onto it. It was a wonderful warm night and she could see a huge full moon at the sky. She watched at it luckily, when she suddenly heard something behind her.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Cole had instinctively noticed, that she was gone. He woke up and saw her standing in the moonlight on the balcony, so he followed her. Phoebe leaned back against him and he wrapped his arms round her.  
  
"I'm watching the moon."  
  
"The moon?" he looked into the night and saw the huge full moon.  
  
"Yes, do you know, that you can't see colors in the moonlight? Everything is black or white."  
  
"Or grey." He added.  
  
Phoebe thought about it, of course grey. "Have you ever seen the movie moonstruck?" She asked softly.  
  
"Not last year. Before? Who knows?"  
  
She smiled and said. "In the movie it's said the full moon is more or less responsible for all foolish and passionate actions." She explained. "It's not your fault."  
  
"Actually? I shan't forget that."  
  
"Yes," she turned around and kissed him longing. "I really missed you, Cole, I didn't know how much."  
  
Between their kisses he muttered. "But tomorrow you won't say it was only the moon."  
  
"I'll think about it." she answered merrily and pulled him forcefully back into his bedroom, while the shirt dropped onto the ground. 


	20. Chapter 20

Thanks for your reviews!!  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Next morning ray of sunlight was shining through the glass door into the room and awaked Cole. He turned aside and watched Phoebe sleeping peacefully at his side. She was familiar and strange for him at the same time. He had spend more time to watch her than to sleep all night . Her facial expression was vulnerable but strong. She looked satisfied and happy. And it gave him a good feeling, that he was the reason for it. He swore, that he would never hurt her again. He noticed, that she moved a little bit. He kissed her softly and said. "Good morning."  
  
"Hello," she awaked slowly and looked at him. Immediately she knew where she was, but it wasn't a shock for her, on the contrary she was happy to be here with Cole.  
  
"Do you already regret it?"  
  
She looked at him surprised. "Do you know, you have asked me the same question after our first night together."  
  
"Really? Well it was my first night with you."  
  
"Yes, I know." Thoughtfully she looked at him and felt that she owed him to tell a little bit more. "Then we were in your apartment, too. And it was .... fantastic, too. I won't forget one of these nights."  
  
"Sorry, but I can't tell you the same." He smiled excusing. "And what did you say at that time?"  
  
"No, absolutely not and I can say the same today." She kissed him. "And what do you say?"  
  
"What did I say the first time?"  
  
"I ask you today." she looked at him curiously.  
  
Cole looked at the ceiling pretending to think about his answer. "I think it was the full moon." He said after a while and grinned satisfied.  
  
Phoebe took the pillow and wanted to hit him, but he jumped up immediately and said "I think I'll take a shower." Quickly he left the room to go into the bathroom. Phoebe didn't allow him to escape so easily and she followed him into the bath. When she entered the room, he hugged her tightly.  
  
"I thought you wanted to have a shower." She muttered between his kisses.  
  
"Not without you." He said and pulled her under the shower.  
  
Some time later, when Cole shaved, Phoebe was still under the shower and searched for the right shower gel. "Athletic active, masculine tangy." She read. "Don't you have anything else?"  
  
"I'm sorry." He looked to the shower. "Did I really use sensuous smell of roses in the past?"  
  
"No, of course you haven't." She told him and chose athletic active.  
  
"Great, I already started to worry about it." He said and grinned. "Well and unfortunately my last girlfriend didn't left anything there."  
  
"Idiot." She opened the door and wanted to threw the wet sponge at him, when it was ringing at the door.  
  
"That's my salvation." He said and left the bathroom. He quickly put on his trousers, lying on a chair and went to the door. He couldn't imagine, who that could be on a Sunday morning. The only person it could be, was Peter, but he would get rid of him soon. When he opened the door it was really Peter. He pushed past Cole and went into the apartment to sit down on the next chair.  
  
"Oh, Peter." Cole began to explain. "You know, it doesn't suit me at the moment."  
  
"It'll only take a minute. I tried to reach you all day yesterday. But you weren't here."  
  
"No, I was out all day and now I have to ..."  
  
"Well please listen finally, I have to tell it."  
  
Cole sat down and sighed. "Okay, but please be brief."  
  
"I'm so sorry, Kevin. I wanted to tell you, that I only talked rubbish in the hospital." He gesticulated with his hands and feet. "I wasn't myself anymore. Of course I haven't thought that you would have been able to prevent that somebody shoot at Helen. I also didn't think that you have written the article because of profit-seeking. I already knew it, before I talked to Helen. I was such an idiot, do you forgive me?" He looked at him uncertainly.  
  
"Of course!" was Cole's simple answer.  
  
Peter looked at him in surprise. "Really? You forget all the rubbish I have talked, so easily?"  
  
"Why not? I knew, that you didn't mean it." He wanted to get rid of Peter as soon as possible, but he really meant it, too.  
  
"You're not offended, not angry about me?" Peter asked disbelieving and saw Cole shaking his head. "Well, that's a load off my mind." Peter said and leaned back relaxed. "And you could have told me, that it could be dangerous for Helen to write this damn article ."  
  
Before Cole could answer, the door of the bathroom opened and Phoebe appeared wearing only a towel. She had heard voices, but she had supposed, that they came from the door. "Oh, a visitor?" She asked and looked at Cole.  
  
"Well, yes." Peter jumped up and stared disbelieving at Phoebe. He recognized her immediately and wondered, what she was doing here. "Well Kevin, I really didn't want to disturb you." He turned to his friend and walked to the door. Cole stood up too and followed him to the front door.  
  
"Are you sure about what you are doing there?" Peter asked when they were standing at the door.  
  
"That's my business, okay." Cole said although he saw Peter's suspicious look.  
  
"Surely and I don't want to poke my nose in it. But you should be careful. I don't know, but she..." Peter stopped, because he noticed that his friend didn't want to hear this. He left the apartment and turned around again. "Okay, it's your business, but nevertheless, take care of yourself." He said and disappeared.  
  
When Cole went back into his apartment, Phoebe was already dressed. "I'm sorry, I couldn't shake him of that easily." he tried to explain Peter's intrude.  
  
"It's okay," she said and flung her arms around his neck. "And he probably warned you of me, didn't he?" she asked and tried to look dangerously. But it didn't impress him and he looked back interested. Phoebe laughed and said. "No, I can't read the mind, don't worry. But I saw it in his face."  
  
"He didn't feel good at the moment." Cole excused his friend. "Well and what are we doing now? Finally I still have some hours of your day. Do we want to have breakfast in a cafe? I fear.." he looked in the direction of his kitchen. "..I still have nothing to eat here."  
  
"Okay, why not." She let him go reluctantly and Cole got dressed.  
  
After they have had breakfast in a nearby cafe, they walked back to Cole's apartment. When they reached Phoebe's car she asked. "And what are your plans for today?"  
  
"I don't know," he said thoughtfully "I really want to relay, I haven't slept a lot the last two nights." He looked at her boldly. "But first I'll visit Helen in the hospital. Well I remember.." He looked across the street to some shops. "..I have to buy some flowers for her."  
  
"Flowers? She'll get enough bouquets." Phoebe thought about it for a while and looked around. "I think I have a better idea." She pulled him to the next kiosk.  
  
"Journals?" He asked irritated.  
  
"When you have to lie in the hospital it's boring." She explained. "And what is better to spend your time than reading magazines?" She stopped in front of a large selection of journals and looked at it intensively. "Here" she said finally, took a magazine and gave it Cole. "Gossip sheet and there True Stories."  
  
Cole took the journals and looked at it sceptically. "Well, I really don't know, if Helen reads something like that." He tried to explain Phoebe.  
  
"Rubbish." She said and continued undaunted. "When you are lying in the hospital you are reading everything. And everybody is interested in gossip, you can believe me. Well there is my journal, everybody reads it too." She told him merrily "And there recipes, fashion and not to forget crosswords." Satisfied she walked with Cole to the cash desk. He still couldn't imagine Helen solving crosswords, but he didn't want to discuss that with Phoebe. He put the pile of papers on the desk and searched for his wallet. When he heard Phoebe saying. "Could you wrap up the journals, it's a gift."  
  
The shop owner looked at them disbelieving, but then he went to the trouble to search wrapping paper. After he found it he told Cole. "But that will cost extra." and started to wrap up the journals.  
  
Cole paid and left the shop together with a satisfied Phoebe.  
  
"And what are your plans for today." He asked her, when they reached Phoebe's car again.  
  
"I don't know." She answered and looked at him thoughtfully. She didn't want to go home and meet her sisters. What should she tell them? But if she stayed away even longer, they would probably have the stupid idea to search for her. And she really didn't want that they would meet her together with Cole. "I'll go home first, surely my sister already wondered where I am."  
  
"Okay!" He looked at her uncertainly. "Will you call me?"  
  
"Definitely." She assured him and gave him a last kiss. Then she got into the car and went home. He looked behind her and finally set off to the hospital.  
  
When he entered Helen's room, he already saw some bouquets standing around. he walked to Helen, who was lying in the bed with his present in his hands. He sat down on the chair beside the bed and said. "You really look better today."  
  
"I feel better, too." She said smiling. "What do you hold in your hands?"  
  
"Oh, that." Cole looked at the present. "That's for you, something to read."  
  
Helen opened the gift wrapping and watched the journals. "Well that's a good idea. Thanks. I'm already bored to death, although I'm lying her only some days."  
  
"How long do you have to stay in hospital, do you already know?"  
  
"No, but at least until the end of the week." She sighed and looked at him. "And how do you feel?"  
  
"I'm fine." He said and smiled at her calming.  
  
Helen thought about it for a while and then she said. "Well, Peter already visited me this morning. And he told me, that he had met this Phoebe in your apartment today."  
  
"Mm" that was typical for them. They couldn't keep anything to themselves. He could imagine, how they racked their brains over it. As if they hadn't other problems.  
  
"I really want to keep out of your love life, but do you think this affair is a good idea?"  
  
Why couldn't she care about her own problems, Cole wondered angrily, but didn't say a word.  
  
"Finally you look like her ex-husband and as she said, she hasn't the best memories of him." Helen explained.  
  
Frustrated Cole stood up and walked to the window. He looked at the parked cars and said finally "I'm her ex-husband."  
  
"What? Do you finally remember? But why didn't you tell ..."  
  
"No," he interrupted her and turned around to have a short look at her. "I can't remember, but it's a fact. He vanished at the right time, I have seen photos and .. well .. I'm sure." He looked out of the window again. And watched the cars parking on the parking lot and the visitors getting out of their cars and buying flowers at a small shop in front of the entrance to the hospital.  
  
"How long do you know that? And why didn't you tell us anything?" Helen asked excited.  
  
Cole turned around and walked back to her. "Not a long time, I hoped, that I would remember slowly."  
  
"But that didn't happen?" Helen admitted. "Doesn't she help you?"  
  
"No, she doesn't want to tell me anything. She thinks I have to remember on my own." Depressed he sat down on the chair.  
  
"But why? I think it would be useful, if she helped you along."  
  
"I don't know, I suspect that she hopes I'll never remember anything."  
  
Helen looked at him astonished. "But what did she get out of it?"  
  
He shrugged his shoulders. "You know, I have seen photos of us and I don't remember, I have met her nice family, I have seen her house, her room .. and nothing. And I also have ..." He stopped, but Helen could imagine what he wanted to say.  
  
"Was that the reason you did it?"  
  
"No!" he looked at her disgusted. "Of course not. Do you really think I would do that?"  
  
"No, but I think your whole affair is very strange."  
  
Cole glowered at her, he didn't want to go on talking about it. Helen already had spoiled his perfect day a little bit.  
  
But it wasn't that easy to stop her. "You know Kevin, or shall I say Cole?" He shook his head. "I really don't want to pull you down, but there's something fishy about it. I mean, just imagine. If you are this Cole, then she got a divorce. She didn't want to live with you any longer and you didn't want to accept it. And then finally she got rid of you and only one year later, you just have to appear and she throws herself at you. That is absolutely implausible."  
  
"She didn't throw herself at me." Cole stated clearly with a morose look.  
  
"You know what I mean. You should think about it. Nobody would do that."  
  
"We had some problems in the past, but now we'll try it again and we'll succeed. Where is the problem?" Helen looked at him sceptically and he tried to explain it to her. "I feel that we belong together."  
  
"Okay, that's what you feel, your heart, but what does your mind say?" When he didn't answer she added. "You know it, don't you?"  
  
Cole remembered the last day, the last night, he couldn't find anything wrong in it. The time with Phoebe was wonderful, she made him happy. He felt that that was everything he ever wanted. And nobody would destroy it. Okay, he had a nagging feeling too, that wanted to warn him, but he didn't want to hear anything about it. He suddenly jumped up and explained Helen "I think I should go."  
  
Helen reached out and held his hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. Please stay for a while and I promise I'll shut up."  
  
He sat down again and changed the subject. "Was the police already here?"  
  
"Yes, yesterday. And the press also wants to interview me. Just imagine, I'm famous now."  
  
"Did you tell them anything about the warehouse?"  
  
"No. You know I thought about it. I've a lot of time to do it here." She mentioned smiling. "You are right, I can't remember how I got into my office." She looked at him excusing. "I can remember that I was waiting for this woman. And I know too, that she didn't arrive. But how did I get into my office at the paper? I was convinced that you drove me there or that I called a taxi. But my memories are dim. Perhaps you know such situations. When you got off your car and some time later you want to remember if you put out the light or not. You are trying to remember desperately, because you are convinced that you have to know it, but you can't remember what you have done." She looked at him uncertainly.  
  
"There is no need to rack your brain about it. Probably you have called a taxi, and I was sleeping." He smiled encouraging. "Andthe whole story isn't interesting for the police ."  
  
"Do you really think so?" She wondered sceptically. "I think it would be useful, if you mentioned it at the police. Especially if you could describe the men."  
  
"But I can't describe them, I have hardly seen them. It wouldn't help the police." He really didn't want to talk about this event with the police. Surely, he wanted that the criminal who shot at Helen would be caught. But he would prefer to settle it his way.  
  
"Perhaps it really wouldn't help them a lot. But nevertheless I think you should tell them about it. Although the police read our article and knows where they have to start their police action." Helen said and added excited. "Have you heard, that the article caused quite a stir?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"But it was in all news." When he shrugged his shoulders, Helen had to shake her head. "You didn't care about it?" She asked surprised. "Well, be it as it may, they'll clear out the department and the good Harold Fleisher will loose his job." She laughed luckily. "I hope he won't find any excuses and will get a fair penalty and his accomplices, too."  
  
"Justice will win." Cole said with bathos and grinned at Helen. "I just remember, that I have to go to the police station tomorrow, because of my evidence."  
  
"You don't look very enthusiastic."  
  
"Oh well, you know I'm a big fan of the police." He told her sarcastically.  
  
"But Kevin, don't have the idea to investigate on your own. That's the business of the police, it could be dangerous." She warned him.  
  
"I wouldn't even dream of doing it." He assured her and smiled. She looked back sceptically and her look showed, that she didn't believe a word. 


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21  
  
Phoebe arrived in front of the Halliwell Manor with a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. But there was no reason, she tried to calm herself, there was no problem to stay away for all day and night. Finally it wasn't the first time.  
  
When she opened the door, she immediately met Paige in the hallway. "Phoebe for heaven's sake, where have you been? We already worried about you."  
  
"Why? Is it forbidden to stay away from home for any time?"  
  
"Of course not, but you didn't feel very good in the morning. I mean you didn't want to go shopping. That was rather strange. Did you met an interesting man?" Paige asked her sister curiously. "When will you introduce him to us?" She looked at her expectantly.  
  
"Not yet, perhaps later." Phoebe explained.  
  
"Why that?" Paige asked offended.  
  
Meanwhile Piper had come downstairs and listened to the conversation. "Because he probably isn't that new as she thinks, is he?" she muttered to Phoebe who looked at her angrily.  
  
Paige didn't notice Piper's comment and looked on her clock. "Such a pity, I have to go now." She looked at Phoebe conspiring. "I have a date today, too. And when I'll be back at home you'll tell me everything, okay?"  
  
"Surely." Phoebe said and Paige disappeared through the door.  
  
"Well she'll be overjoyed." Piper mentioned sarcastically.  
  
"I don't know what you mean." Phoebe turned around to her sister. "Do you have any problems?"  
  
"Oh, I don't have any, but you have." Piper explained firmly.  
  
"No, I don't have any problems, what makes you think of that?" Phoebe went into the kitchen and took a glass. Then she sat down and poured juice in it.  
  
"You mustn't think I'm stupid. I know you Phoebe. You have been together with Cole yesterday, haven't you?" Piper stated angrily.  
  
Phoebe didn't know, how she could wriggle of this affair. "It's my business." She said finally.  
  
"Oh my god, Phoebe." Piper sat down too. "It never was only your business. Why do you do that? You have promised me to keep away from him."  
  
Phoebe stared at her drink. She didn't want to justify herself. She got involved in it and she didn't feel any regret, not at all. She felt so satisfied and overjoyed, she didn't feel for a long time. She was too happy to regret anything. "Finally he isn't a demon anymore." She said obstinately.  
  
"Yes, but what does it say about his character, if his girlfriend stays in hospital and he enjoys himself with you at the same time?"  
  
"Helen isn't his girlfriend. She's together with this photographer." Phoebe got it straight. "I got it wrong, that's all."  
  
That's all she needed, Piper thought and wanted to continue their discussion, when she noticed a blue light and her husband appeared. Lucky she walked towards him to greet him. Phoebe used this opportunity to leave the kitchen.  
  
But Piper noticed it and yelled behind her. "We're not nearly ready, Phoebe." Coughed she turned around and walked back to her chair. "Leo tell it to her." Piper turned to her husband who looked asking. "Tell her, that Cole and her, there's no way it's going to work."  
  
Surprised Leo looked at Phoebe, who moved on her chair staring at the table. It was obvious, that she felt uneasy.  
  
"She was with him the whole night." Piper explained.  
  
"Piper!" Phoebe looked at her indignantly. "You don't have to talk about it with Leo." she said angrily to her sister.  
  
"Oh, I don't have? But if I worry about you?" she asked back.  
  
"Phoebe" Leo interrupted the discussion. "Cole didn't come back, because you should come together with him again." He tried to explain. "You even shouldn't meet."  
  
"But we did meet. Where is the problem? I love him Leo." She tried to convince him.  
  
"I can't believe that, after all he did to you, to us?" Piper said and shook her head.  
  
But Phoebe didn't want to hear anything about it. "It's over, and I don't want to live in the past, Piper. Imagine, he even doesn't remember anything of it"  
  
"Year, an easy way out for him." Piper said sarcastically.  
  
"We never had such a chance before and I have to take it, because I never stopped loving him, I really thought it, but I was wrong."  
  
"But unfortunately that didn't change anything, Phoebe. He came back to lead a usual life. We have to keep him away from the magical world. He shouldn't have contact to witches, or demons or the underworld. Otherwise nobody knows what could happen to him." Leo explained.  
  
"What do you want to say?"  
  
"We don't know, what could happen, but it'll be the best solution, if you stay away from him."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because he'll come into contact with magic, if he is together with you."  
  
"But that needn't happen." Phoebe said self-confidently. "If it's the only problem to keep him away from my witch life, I'll be able to manage it."  
  
"And how do you want to manage it? You have to rescue innocents, demons attack you and you have premonition as well. That won't work." Piper pointed out firmly.  
  
"I'll manage it, if I really want it." Phoebe explained convinced.  
  
"Really? And of course he wants to know more about his past. He'll ask you questions about his former life, what will you tell him?"  
  
"I'll think of something, I always found an excuse so far." She meant triumphantly.  
  
Piper looked at her sadly. "That'll go wrong, Phoebe. Do you want to build your new relationship on lies?"  
  
"You know, you are really great in ruining my day." Phoebe said and looked at them disappointed. "Please let me try it. If I don't get along with him, I'll manage it. I can be hard if it's necessary. I'll get over him, I already have proofed it. But nevertheless I can't pass up this opportunity. I have to try it. Can't you understand that?" She looked at them asking.  
  
"Do you think of him, too?" Piper asked carefully. "Do you think it's fair, if he'll fall in love with you again? What will happen, if it goes wrong? Of course you'll manage. But he never got over you. And you know what happened. Do you really want to expose yourself to that danger again. And I don't talk about the danger for us."  
  
"But he is a mortal now." Phoebe tried to justify herself. "He leads a usual life." She looked at her sister and her brother-in-law uncertainly. Were they right, was she too selfish? No, forcefully she shook her head and turned to Piper. "I'm convinced if Cole could decide, he would take the chance, no matter of the risks."  
  
"Well, unfortunately Cole isn't famous for his wise decisions." Piper said. "And that isn't the point Phoebe, the point is to make the right decision."  
  
Phoebe looked at her thoughtfully. "I think the question is, which decision is wise." She stood up and went to the door and she turned to Piper again and told her. "I'll think about that." In a hurry she left the kitchen.  
  
When Cole arrived in his apartment again late afternoon, the phone was ringing. With a smile he took the phone, but to his surprise on the other line was Cyber. He wanted to tell him, that he had found the respective information and would send them with a courier service next day.  
  
Cyber's call gave Cole an uneasy feeling, because he hadn't thought about this anymore.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't find out a lot. I'll send you the documents tomorrow, I think we shouldn't talk about it on the phone."  
  
"It's okay, tomorrow is early enough. And thanks again." Cole noticed, that Cyber wanted to tell him something, but hesitated. "Is there anything else?" Cole tried to encourage him.  
  
"It's only a vague suspicion, well your identity, if you were really Cole Turner, could be not your real identity."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Cole asked alarmed.  
  
"Well, it could be ... Do you remember, when I helped you to get your current papers?"  
  
"Of course!" After he didn't want to go to the police or to a doctor, Cyber and his friends had helped him to get new papers with the name Kevin Torrens. "Is anything wrong with them?"  
  
"No, but if you checked them detailed, you would find out that they were forged. The papers of this Turner were above suspicion. They were perfect, but nevertheless I have the feeling that they were forged, too."  
  
"Forged? Why?"  
  
"Not really forged, more manipulated, adapted to the personality. Something like the public authority would use to create new identities, for example to protect witnesses or the CIA. But these papers were well-founded, without gaps. I already told you, that I have found no proof, but if I'm right, it could be a hint to organized crime."  
  
Cole was silent for a moment then he asked astonished. "You think I was a Mafia member?"  
  
"I don't want to worry you, probably I'm absolutely wrong. I only wanted to warn you, to be cautious, it can be dangerous, if you tread on the toes of the wrong people." Cyber told him. "They won't stand for any nonsense. But again, it's only a feeling, I didn't find a real evidence."  
  
"Nevertheless thanks for your warning." Cole thanked him again and they said goodbye. When he hanged up the phone, he thought about the things Cyber had told him. He couldn't believe, that he had once worked for the Mafia. He couldn't have changed that much, or could he? Cole shook his head, no, probably Cyber was just imagining it. Sometimes he saw plots everywhere. That can happen, when you are sitting around at the computer all the time, Cole concluded.  
  
At the evening Cole was happy that Peter was ringing at his door and put him up from brooding.  
  
"Hey, I only wanted to assure myself that you really accepted my excuse this morning. I supposed that you only wanted to get rid of me." Peter wanted to know.  
  
"I'm not angry anymore about what happened in the hospital, don't make a big thing of it. But that you burst into my apartment on a Sunday morning, well I still have to think about it." He went to the fridge and gave Peter something to drink.  
  
"Well, I couldn't know, that you have a visitor." Peter justified himself and took the drink, then he followed Cole on the balcony. "Will she come by this evening?"  
  
"No," Cole answered briefly and sat down. She even didn't call yet, he thought dissatisfied. But he felt no urge to talk about it with Peter. But as if he could read his mind, he said. "Well, she probably had to explain her sisters, why she got involved with her violent ex-husband again."  
  
That again, Cole sighed. "As far as I know, I haven't been violent."  
  
"The problem is, that you know nothing."  
  
"I thought you came by to excuse yourself."  
  
Peter looked at him astonished. "I never knew, that you are very sensitive."  
  
Cole watched the evening sky, the sun already set down, but he could still see colors from the sunset. "If it was your life, you would understand it."  
  
"Okay, okay." Peter was silent for a while, then he said. "Well, Helen told me today, that you believe that you are Cole Turner."  
  
Annoyed Cole raised an eyebrow. "You two are terrible. You can't keep anything to yourself."  
  
"Hey, listen, since we know you, you were going on our nerves that you wanted to know, who you are. And then you already knew it and you didn't say a word to your friends. Do you think that's normal?"  
  
Cole thought about it for a moment. Peter was right, he was his friend and he could talk about Cybers news with him. He had no one else, Phoebe flashed into his mind, but he supposed that she wouldn't be a big help. "Today I got a call from a friend in Seattle." He looked at Peter and noticed that he didn't know, about whom he talked. "This hacker, Cyber, he should investigate something for me."  
  
"And did he find out anything?" Peter asked interested.  
  
"No, not a lot. He'll send it tomorrow, he didn't want to talk about it on the phone. He came to the conclusion that my identity could be wrong."  
  
"And what was he trying to say with it?"  
  
"He thinks, that I could have been an agent or could have worked for organized crime."  
  
"Oh no, what a load of rot. What made him think of it?" Peter laughed, "Agent, that's a good one. And you don't look like a shady Mafioso."  
  
"And how does a typical Mafioso look like in your opinion? Do you believe real members of the Mafia are only Italians in black suits?"  
  
"That's it."  
  
"You watch too many movies. You can't recognize them because of their outfit."  
  
"Well, you can. And unfortunately you don't fit into this paten."  
  
"There is the Chinese Mafia, too." He looked at Peter, who was still laughing and added. "Okay, not a good example. Then the Russian Mafia."  
  
"No, stop, I know it, the IRA." Peter stated satisfied.  
  
"IRA? I thought we are talking about the Mafia."  
  
"Yes, you are right, but if you absolutely wanted it, then you could come from Ireland."  
  
"And what do I want in the USA?" Cole asked hardly convinced.  
  
"You went into hiding, wrong identity, how am I supposed to know?"  
  
"You're a great help, I must say." Cole said enervated.  
  
Peter looked at him astonished. "I didn't think that you believe anything of this rubbish. But okay, if you want do know if there is more on it than meets the eye, you will have to ask your new girlfriend."  
  
Cole looked at him and pretended to be surprised. "Well, that's really a surprise for me," he said ironically. "Didn't Helen tell you, that Phoebe doesn't want to talk about it?"  
  
"About what? Your past? Why that?"  
  
Ask Helen, I don't want to talk about it again." Cole leaned back in his chair. "It makes me drowsy and I almost fall asleep."  
  
"Do you want to say discretely, beat it?"  
  
"Looks like. I don't want to make the third night in a row of it." He explained plainly.  
  
"Oh, I feel so sorry for you, the last night was hard on you."  
  
"Get lost, Peter!" Cole said and went with him to the exit. When he was back on the balcony, he thought about the things, Peter had said. In all probability Phoebe wouldn't tell him anything about his relation to the underworld, because she didn't want to tell him anything about his past, he thought grimly. Or did last night change anything? 


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22  
  
Phoebe left the house early on Monday morning. She had made a decision with regard to Cole and she didn't want to be talked out of it. When she arrived at the paper it was still unusual calm. She thought, if she should call Cole at home, but she decided to call him later in the office.  
  
Cole spent this morning at the police station. It seemed to him, as if he had to answer the same questions again and again and the officer didn't believe his words. Probably he supposed that Cole withheld something from him. And Cole didn't change his mind not to talk about the men in the warehouse. His description wouldn't be useful and he didn't want to tell this smug officer that he had listened their conversation. Police officers tempted him into holding back information. He couldn't change this.  
  
"But I have already answered this question more than once." He explained angrily the pompous officer, who had asked him the same question repeatedly." I couldn't see, where the shot came from. Therefore it was impossible for me to see the person who had shot."  
  
"There we are, you have noticed, that a shot was fired. Up to now, you have said something else." The officer said self-satisfied and slurped his coffee.  
  
It was probably already cold as ice, Cole thought and said. "No, I have already told you, that I have heard a muffled noise and Helen fell on the ground. That's all." He finally had enough of it. "What do you want from me? I have told you everything I know and you don't have anything else to do than to waste my time. I think it would be more useful, if you were searching for the offender. Stop playing your damn games with me." He recommended the officer.  
  
"I don't play games, Mr. Torrens, it's dead serious. Somebody had shot at a woman."  
  
As if he wouldn't know that. Before he could start to give him the right answer, the door of the small office opened and another police officer entered the room. He looked at Cole astonished, while his colleague jumped up and said. "Officer Morris."  
  
He turned to his colleague and asked. "Is everything alright here, Simson?"  
  
Cole took the opportunity and told him. "Your colleague wasted my time with his incompetent questioning all morning. He supposes that it's more useful to grill me than to search the person shooting at Helen."  
  
Darryl Morris looked at Cole interested and then he draw his attention to the minutes lying on the table. "Mm, it seems to me, as if we have all information. Would you please sign it?" Darryl noticed that his young colleague had another opinion. He looked at him angrily and wanted to say something, but Darryl held him back with a small gesture. He looked at Cole requesting. "Mr. Torrens." He showed him, where he had to sign his name.  
  
"It's high time." Cole said and signed the paper. After it he finally wanted to go.  
  
"If you remember anything else, you'll let us know." Darryl added precautionary, before Cole could leave the police station.  
  
When Cole arrived at his office after this nerve-racking morning, the telephone was ringing. His mood improved, when he heard who was on the other line. Phoebe. "Hello," he said delightedly.  
  
"Hello, I already tried to reach you all morning."  
  
"Is that so," He smiled satisfied and explained. "I was at the police station. Don't ask me, it was terrible. I can't understand why police officers have to bee such idiots."  
  
"Oh I also know some who are alright."  
  
"Really?" Cole said hardly convinced. "Unfortunately I never met one of them."  
  
"Well in the past you got on with Darryl Morris." Phoebe explained and was immediately angry about herself, that she had told it.  
  
"Darryl Morris? Did we know us? I met him today and he didn't say anything about it." Cole wondered.  
  
"I asked him to do that." Phoebe explained carefully.  
  
"Oh!" That she even had a police officer under her control surprised him.  
  
"Yes, but that isn't the reason why I'm calling." Phoebe changed the subject. "I wanted to ask you, if we could spend lunchbreak together. I have to talk to you. I know it's a little bit short-term, but.."  
  
"No, it's no problem. I can manage it." He said pleased. "Where shall we meet?"  
  
They agreed on a meeting point in front of the park, they could easily reach from both papers.  
  
Phoebe was already there, when Cole arrived a few minutes later. After a fervent kiss of welcome she linked her arms with him and they entered the park. At this time all benches were already taken. Therefore Phoebe suggested to walk through the park to find an empty bench. Silent they strolled along the main way, until Cole began to speak. "What have you done yesterday?"  
  
"Oh, I was lazy, I stayed at home, worked a little bit, relaxed and thought a little bit."  
  
"And did your sisters worried, when you arrived at home." He asked carefully, because he slowly wanted to get to the point, he was interested in.  
  
"Yes, but Cole." Phoebe looked around, but she still couldn't find a bench, they were all taken. She looked to the lawn and suggested. "Shall we sit down on the grass for a while?"  
  
"On the grass?" He sceptically watched her white dress.  
  
"Do you have a paper or anything else?" She asked.  
  
"No, but wait." He took his jacket from his shoulder and put it on the ground. "Sit down please." He offered satisfied.  
  
"Okay, if you want." They sat down on the jacket, close side by side.  
  
"Okay, what do you want to tell me."  
  
Phoebe thought about it for a while and then she said. "It's about us."  
  
Cole had an uneasy feeling, when he listened this beginning. Perhaps he should be lucky, that there was at least an us, but Phoebe sounded that damn serious. But he decided that he should wait first.  
  
Phoebe took a deep breath and looked over the meadow to a few trees standing at the end, moving slowly in the wind. Then she started to explain carefully. "Our last relationship had ended badly, it was a disaster for both of us. I already tried to explain you, that I've lost the faith in you. You hurt me too much, I didn't want to see you anymore." She glanced him shortly and noticed that he was listening attentively. She preferred to watch the trees again. "You had problems to accept that it was over. Well and at the end you weren't yourself anymore, I couldn't recognize you anymore." She was silent for a moment.  
  
"And what did you want to say with it?" he asked in worry.  
  
She looked at him again. "I want to say that it's different for me now. I have thought about it. You have broken my heart and after it you healed it again, to break it again and to heal it again. I couldn't bear that anymore and decided to heal it alone. And I thought that I had managed it, but that was a mistake." She smiled at him.  
  
"I'm so sorry, I ...." She put her forefinger on his mouth and shook her head. "I know that you feel sorry and I have decided that I'll try it with you again. But I make a condition that you'll let bygones be begones."  
  
He looked at her disbelieving. "Shall I stop to find out anything about my past? Who I was?" She couldn't be serious.  
  
"Yes, that's it. And to be honest, your life wasn't very lucky. Now you got the chance to start again without the ballast of the past, you should take it." She tried to convince him.  
  
"Stop, one moment." He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "It may be true that my life wasn't wonderful, but nevertheless I want to know, who I am. I have to know what I have done, which experiences I have made. I don't want to live in this ignorance anymore, it's too frustrating, especially because I know, that you could change it."  
  
"But I can't change it, you even wouldn't know, if I told you the truth. It wouldn't be your memories." She tried to convince him again.  
  
"Well, it would be a beginning, perhaps I would be able to remember again."  
  
Unhappy Phoebe pulled at some cloverleaves. "I don't think so, but if you insist on it, we won't have a chance." She explained plainly.  
  
"I can't understand it. Do you think that is fair?"  
  
She looked at him. "No, but I don't want to remember." She said coldly. "It was the worst time of my life. It's nothing more than grief and sorrow."  
  
"And if we suppress it and pretend to do as if nothing has happened, you'll be able to forget it?" he asked disbelieving.  
  
"I don't suppress it, but it's a closed chapter for me. Perhaps I have to tell you, that it wasn't only your fault. But nobody is able to change what happened in the past. So I forgive you, as far as I'm able to do it. But I won't bear it to go over it again and again."  
  
"And what's with the nice experiences? My childhood, or if I only want to know, what I have thought, when I saw you the first time, or what happened when we fell in love, or our marriage, or .."  
  
"Or our divorce?" She added unemotionally, she really didn't want to tell him anything about their marriage or his lucky childhood.  
  
"Yes, that a part of my life too."  
  
"But you'll have new experiences, now." She explained. "And I can't tell you what you have felt."  
  
She saw his dissatisfied expression and added. "I can understand, that you want to change your memories with me, but I can only give you this possibility." She looked at him hopefully.  
  
He didn't want to disappoint her, she looked so beautiful, sitting on the grass and she meant so much to him. But nevertheless he had to try it once again. "But wouldn't it be useful, if I knew what was going wrong between us? So that I won't do the same faults again?"  
  
"Don't worry, that won't happen, it's impossible." She answered convinced.  
  
He watched her sceptically. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
He looked uncertainly. "I'm not the person, who can give up that easily. I have to know it."  
  
"Yes, I know, but if I ask you." She looked at him begging.  
  
Had he ever been able to deny her a wish? This thought flashed into his mind. He didn't want to loose her and she explained plainly, that she wouldn't change her mind. He didn't know, if he would be able to forget his former life, but his possibilities to find out more about it were limited. Of course there was Phoebe and her family, but they won't tell him anything. Then there was Cyber and his information from the police, but Cyber had already told him, that he couldn't find out a lot. And who should stop him to open the envelope? He didn't have to tell Phoebe about it. And then there was his unlikely connection to the organized crime. Well the danger didn't fear him, but did he want to find out more about it? Perhaps she was right and a fresh start would be a good idea. He looked at her determined. "Okay, if you are convinced that it's better for me to live a new life, I'll trust you. I'll stop to find out anything about my past."  
  
"Really?" Enthusiastically she flung her arms around his neck and laughing he felt on his back. Phoebe kissed him passionately and was sure that she had made the right decision. Her family would understand that, too, she was convinced about it. She stopped their kissing for a while and looked at him seriously. "But I have to warn you, Piper wants it." she told him.  
  
"Piper?" He stared at her astonished. "Your sister?" He couldn't imagine, why her sister wanted to warn him.  
  
"Yes," Phoebe touched his face with a smile . "She thinks that it isn't fair of me, if I allow, that you'll fall in love with me again."  
  
"Why that?" He frowned.  
  
"Because you never got over me." She said honestly.  
  
He looked at her thoughtfully. "And she feared that could happen again?" Phoebe nodded. "Mm, I think her warning is too late, I have already fallen in love with you." She smiled. "But you can assure her, that I'll manage it, if it went wrong." He got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach, because he wasn't absolutely convinced of it. A little voice tried to warn him, that he would be too vulnerable, because of his feelings for Phoebe. But he didn't want to hear it. "And if we really love each other, it'll go well and we'll be together until the end of our lives, I'm convinced about it." He added as a precaution.  
  
Phoebe hoped the same, she hoped it so much, this time nothing would be able to destroy it. She kissed him again with a passion removing all her doubts.  
  
After a while they reluctantly had to stand up again, because it was time to go back to work. Cole noticed a grass strain on his shirt, but it didn't disturb him. Just before they left the park he remembered something and he asked. "And what will happen, if my memory comes back?"  
  
"That would be fate." Phoebe said, because she knew, that there was no use to think about it. She was convinced that it would never happen.  
  
They agreed on a date on Wednesday evening and reluctantly said goodbye and went to work again.  
  
When Cole arrived in his office again, he was surprised to meet Trisha Raymond there. "Hello Trisha, what brings you here?" Pleased he offered her a seat. She sat down and told him without wasting any time, that she wanted to know, if other people really were attacked in her neighborhood.  
  
He gave her an embarrassed smile and had to confess, that it was only an excuse. "My colleague tried to find out more about a corruption scandal in the town authority and I wanted to help her."  
  
"The town government? But I have nothing to do with it." She said surprised.  
  
"Really?" He wondered. "But you have promised to give her some information about it. But you didn't appear to the appointment. You already had your accident." When she looked at him disbelieving, he continued. "And you have told her, that the Deacon Arm factory could be dubious."  
  
"The Deacon Factory? Well I really don't know it, or do I?" She looked at him unhappy. "This affair is driving me mad." She sighed, "But why did you know anything about my accident?"  
  
"Another informant was attacked, too. And it happened just before she wanted to meet Helen. And you know, this woman has lost a part of her memory, too. It's a strange chance, isn't it?"  
  
Trisha shook her head. "I can hardly believe it. You want to say, that this people found a method to influence the memory? But that is impossible."  
  
He shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't find another explanation."  
  
Trisha thought about it for a while, then she took out a writing pad. "Here." She gave it to Cole. "I found it last weekend. I can't remember to make these notes, but it seems as if I have found out something."  
  
Cole looked at the notes interested. There were information about the Canterro Chemical plant and a red ring round a number. On another paper there was drawn a way. And on the backside stuck a magnetic card, which could open doors. He looked up. "And you don't know, what's the meaning of it?"  
  
"One year ago, I started to gather information about the Canterro Chemical plant. I'm chemist, you have to know, and I'm involved in conversation groups. We supposed, that the chemicals of this factory pollute the environment more than permitted. Therefore I applied for a part time job at the chemical plant. And I got it." She looked at him not very happy about it.  
  
"Do you remember that you have worked there?"  
  
"I remember the first days, but after it everything is gone. I have asked my friend from the conversation group and they have told me, that I couldn't find indications for illegal environmental pollution. But I have found something else and it disturbed me. But the whole story was too dangerous or not interesting enough for me, it depends on whom of my friends I asked." She smiled. "Unfortunately I didn't tell them anything about it, I wanted to give my information to a journalist. That he would have the chance to find out more about it."  
  
"And you chose Helen."  
  
"It seems so. I have read her article this week end. I think I have made the right choice, but now everything has changed." She looked at him curiously. "Are you interested in this story."  
  
"Of course." He looked back interested. He wouldn't let this story slip.  
  
"Okay, because I want to go on the bottom of this affair. I'm concerned and therefore I won't let it up." She smiled. "And therefore I need your help."  
  
Cole made an inviting gesture. "You'll have it. What is your plan?"  
  
She took the notes out of his hands and put the sketch on the table. "I can remember this corridor She showed him on the sketch. "It's in front of the pharmaceutical department. Only members of this department are allowed to go there. The door is bolt hermetically. I always suspected, that I have to search there. Well, probably I have done it and I found something else, I didn't suppose." She looked excusing. "But I think we'll have to search for it again."  
  
Cole took the magnetic card. And you can enter the door with this card?" He asked sceptically.  
  
"No, you need another identity card and a key. I don't know, where you can use this card." She said resigned.  
  
He looked at the sketch again. "And what is this?" he showed her a blue mark near the door.  
  
"Mm, as I know, all walls are sterile white."  
  
"Perhaps you have found a secret door and we'll be able to open it with this card," Cole supposed.  
  
"I can hardly imagine that. But I think we'll have to check it." She rummaged in her bag and put out an identity card, which you could fix at your clothes with a clip. "This is my identity card of the Canterro Chemical Plant. I could pass all controls with it. But when I tried it again a few days ago, they told me, that I have never worked there and that the card was forged. Meanwhile they probably know, that I sympathize with conversation groups. They forbid me the access."  
  
"And how can we get in there?"  
  
"There are guided tours every Thursday. Mrs. Canterro sets great store by publicity. And if we take part in a tour, we'll be able to make off after a while and to go to the changing room."  
  
"Don't they count the tour members?"  
  
"Yes, they do, but only at the beginning and at the end of a tour. Everybody without a white coat with an identity card attracts attention, therefore it isn't necessary. And if I put on a white coat and my card nobody will notice me." She looked at him thoughtfully. "I think I can get you a similar identity card. It must be authentic only on the first sight. But I need a photo of you."  
  
Cole searched in his drawers and finally found one. He gave it to Trisha.  
  
"Okay, than it won't be a problem." She smiled at him conspiring. "And I have another reason, why I want to go there again." She told him. "I want to look in my shelf there. I'm missing one of my favorite pullovers. And they really told me, that I have never had a shelf there." She said outraged. "But probably they already gave it to someone else and they dared to threw my things away. So what, I'll announce us for the guided tour. Would this Thursday suit you?"  
  
Cole had no objections and they agreed to meet Thursday afternoon in front of the plant.  
  
After Trisha left his office, a courier entered it to gave him an envelope. Cole signed the receipt and got a light envelope. He sat down and put it on the desk. He looked at it and wanted to know, what was in it, but he had promised Phoebe not to do it. He sighed and took it in his hands. It was sealed strongly. Cyber always pernickety see to it that his consignments were closed that way. Cole pulled a little bit on the adhesive strip, but he couldn't bring himself to open the envelope. She trusted him, and hadn't she told him, that she stopped loving him, because she couldn't trust him anymore? But she didn't know anything about it, he tried to convince himself. But nevertheless he had an uneasy feeling, that she could find out about it. Once again he looked at the envelope and reluctantly he put it in the lower drawer. He still had the possibility to open it later, it wasn't so urgent at the moment. 


	23. Chapter 23

Hello, I'm glad that there are still some people who read my story and like it, thank you to let me know. Yes that's the question, if Cole gets is memory back. Well I hope you'll go on reading my story and then ... But by the way do you want it to happen?  
  
Chapter 23  
  
When Phoebe came home Tuesday evening, Paige and Piper were sitting together at the table. Phoebe had managed to got out of their ways all Monday. But she knew, that she had to talk to them. Therefore she joined them and sat down.  
  
"Hey, Phoebe you went to work very early this morning." Paige said. "And I haven't seen you all Monday."  
  
"Yes, I had a lot of work." Phoebe replied and noticed, that Piper looked hardly convinced.  
  
"Well, finally we are together now. And you can tell me something about your new friend. Is it the guy with the sailors pullover?"  
  
"Sailors pullover?" Phoebe looked irritated at Paige.  
  
"Yes, it isn't in the laundry basket anymore." Paige explained. "And I thought you gave it back to him."  
  
"Does Cole wear such pullovers recently?" Piper wondered. "Well I didn't know that amnesia can change you so much."  
  
"What has Cole to do with it?" Paige asked Piper in surprise.  
  
She was smiling ironically and showed into the direction of Phoebe. "Ask her!" Now both sisters watched Phoebe interested.  
  
"Okay, I don't know, why you are against it." She said obstinately. "But I have decided to give Cole and me another chance."  
  
"I knew it!" Piper said calmly, while Paige snapped at her angrily. "Cole? Why Cole, I thought it was over forever. You didn't want to see him anymore. How can you get involved with him again?" she asked furiously. "You were over him, for a long time already."  
  
"No, I think I never really was it. And I have decided that we'll try it again." Phoebe answered soberly. "The situation has changed, he is a mortal now."  
  
"That won't change anything. And don't tell me, that you weren't over him, you were. Meanwhile you had other boyfriends, you were lucky."  
  
"Oh surely, I was terrible lucky, Paige." Phoebe said in a sneering intonation.  
  
"And what was with Jason?" Paige asked surprised.  
  
"Of course, Jason. Good-looking, usual, harmless and absolutely calculable. That was it, I wanted to have fun without the need to invest too many feelings." Not to talk about passion at all, Phoebe thought. She had desperately taken care, that she wouldn't loose herself again, that she would never give up the control, because that was too dangerous. She didn't allow love to play a big role in her relationships to feel safe, and the sentence 'I love you' had gotten the meaning of 'I enjoy it to be together with you'. It ended in Philip, she couldn't imagine anybody more harmless or more rooted to his native soil. Although, perhaps he wasn't as harmless as she has always thought.  
  
"But the point is," she explained to her sisters. "It couldn't make me happy. That wasn't me, I wanted something else. I thought, I could start at the point, where I stopped, when I met Cole, but that was impossible. I was searching for something else."  
  
"And Cole is what you want? I really can't imagine that." Paige said firmly.  
  
"You can. You always knew it, much more than I did. Otherwise you would have told me, that Cole is still alive. You wouldn't have thought, that you have to hide it. You knew, that I still feel more for him, than I wanted to admit."  
  
"And how do you want to solve the problem with his former self?" Piper decided that it was a good idea to interrupt the discussion of her sisters.  
  
"He promised me, that he would let it rest." Phoebe explained confidentially.  
  
"Do you believe him?" Piper asked sceptically.  
  
"Yes." Phoebe said more convinced than she really was.  
  
"And how do you want to keep him away from the magic world? Have you already thought about it?"  
  
"I'll manage it."  
  
"How? I already told you on Sunday, that it won't work."  
  
"Stop, one moment. On Sunday? Why don't I know anything about it?" Paige asked and looked at her sisters angrily. She always felt as if she wouldn't be a part of the family, when their sisters kept something from her.  
  
"It was Phoebe's business to tell you something about it." Piper said.  
  
"You weren't at home." Phoebe shrugged her shoulders and turned to Piper again. "And he didn't need me to get in touch with demons."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Phoebe told her sisters what Cole had told her about Fleisher, Deacon and Canterro and their mystical clique. "They called them worshipper of devil at university ."  
  
"Mm do you think they have conspired with demons to reach their goals?"  
  
"It seems so and that would explain the reason, why Quasta helped them."  
  
"You are right," Paige said. "But why did they want to shoot at a reporter?"  
  
"Perhaps Quasta messed it up too often." Phoebe supposed.  
  
Paige looked at the newspaper, which was still lying on the table. On the front-page was an article about the impending arrest of Fleisher. She took the paper and said. "The article about the corruption has caused quite a stir. I hope they'll condemn Fleisher. I even noticed his cuts of social spending in my social service. My former colleagues told me lately that the situation in the social welfare offices in some districts of the town has been tensed. They have met the cost only with private donations and even they have decreased. And Fleisher seemed to support it." Paige shook her head.  
  
Phoebe took the newspaper from Paige to read the article. But just when she touched the paper she got a premonition. She saw Fleisher lying alone on a bed in a prison cell. The room was lighted up subdue and the bed looked very hard. Everything seemed to be very peaceful, when suddenly a demon appeared and Fleisher sat up irritated. It didn't seem as if he was frightened, he looked at the demon expectantly, but the demon formed an energy ball and threw it into his direction.  
  
When Phoebe woke up, her sisters looked at her expectantly. "What has happened? Did you get a premonition?"  
  
"You won't believe it." She even couldn't believe it herself. "I had a premonition of Harold Fleisher!"  
  
"Harold Fleisher?" Paige looked at the paper. "This Harold Fleisher?"  
  
"Exactly! He is sitting in a prison cell and a demon attacks him."  
  
The girls looked at each other uncertainly. "But that doesn't mean, that we have to safe him, or does it?" Piper asked her nonplused sisters, who shrugged their shoulders. Piper knew only one person, who could help them, her husband. "Leo!" She yelled and a few seconds later he appeared.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked concerned. After Piper told him about Phoebe's premonition, Leo thought about this situation. Finally he decided. "I think you should help him. Certainly he is a fraud, but he didn't deserve the death."  
  
"How do you know it? He made a deal with demons. And he is responsible at least for the death of one person. And we don't know, what he had done apart from that." Piper replied outraged.  
  
"Not to talk about his failed, corrupt administration of the money for social work. He is responsible for the suffering of a lot of people." Paige worked up about it.  
  
"You are right." Leo tried to justify himself. "But Phoebe didn't have this premonition without a reason."  
  
"Okay, Leo. But did you already think about, how we should manage it?" Piper asked angrily. "Paige could orb us into Fleisher's cell, but there are cameras everywhere, they'll even observe the single cells, as far as I know."  
  
Finally Phoebe was quite happy, that her premonition changed the subject and she didn't have to talk about Cole anymore. She thought about the new problem and suggested. "Perhaps we'll find a spell, which can outwit the monitoring system."  
  
Piper looked at her sceptically. "Even if we could switch off the cameras, what shall we do then? Shall we help him to escape from prison? It's assuming, that the demons will try to kill him again, if the first attempt fails."  
  
"Then we'll have to protect him all night. Tomorrow he'll get free on bail. Then we'll be able to take him to a safe place, if it's necessary." Leo explained. "What kind of demon was it, Phoebe?"  
  
"Usual, nothing special," Phoebe thought about it and said merrily. "Okay girls, that's the way it is. It seems as if we'll have to safe criminals now, too."  
  
They went onto the attic to look for the demon and to search for a spell. After they had found a way to switch off the monitoring system, they set off to the remand prison. Paige orbed them into an empty wing, because nobody should notice them. Luckily they didn't meet anybody, when they walked cautiously to the controlling center. When they arrived in front of it, Piper froze everybody in it and they entered the room. Phoebe went to the system and tried to find Fleisher's cell. When she found it, they spoke an illusion spell together, which would get the observers to believe that they have a peaceful night.  
  
"Hopefully nothing unexpected will happen and nobody will try to escape this night, otherwise we'll be responsible, if the observers don't notice it." Piper said and looked at her sisters unhappily. They left the room and Piper unfroze them. After it, Paige orbed them into the cell of Harold Fleisher. When they arrived, he was sleeping in his prison bed and snored peacefully.  
  
"I can't believe that he is able to sleep here that peaceful." Paige wondered.  
  
"I think we shouldn't wake him up. We'll wait for the demon." Piper supposed. They looked around the cell that was rather small. It was very cramped with four persons. But luckily it was impossible to look into the other cells.  
  
"You even can't sit down." Phoebe complained.  
  
"You could try the bottom." Paige supposed and had to pull herself together not to laugh. Because the bottom of the cell didn't look very invitingly. It seemed as if a lot of prisoners came and went this place and nobody cleaned the room. They decided to lean at the wall opposite to Fleisher's bed. They waited for the demon, while Fleisher turned round in his bed snoring.  
  
"I would be happy, if the damn demon finally arrived." Paige grumbled and as if he had heard her, he appeared near the bed.  
  
Harold Fleisher woke up and stared at him expectantly. The demon ignored the witches. He formed an energy ball and wanted to threw it into Fleisher's direction. Because they were standing crowed together, the sisters had to be careful not to harm Fleisher mistakenly. Therefore Phoebe gave the demon a slight kick and the energy ball exploded at the ceiling with a bang and left a big burn mark.  
  
But now the demon was out of Fleishers reach and Piper lost no time and blew him up. When he was vanquished, the three took a deep breath.  
  
"Well, they haven't sent a really dangerous one." Paige said and looked at Fleisher, who looked back angrily.  
  
"What are you thinking anyway?" He got worked up. "Why have you killed him?"  
  
"He wanted to kill you." Piper explained and added frustrated. "You are so ungrateful."  
  
"That's rubbish, he wanted to help me to escape. But now you messed it up."  
  
"Are you blind? He threw an energy ball at you and it should kill you." Phoebe said and shook her head.  
  
"No, no, no they are my allies, I have ..." Suddenly he looked up confused. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?" He looked around confused and worried. "Scram here! They'll think that I'm in league with you. That would be the end for me." He wailed.  
  
The three looked at each other, they didn't know, what to do.  
  
"You should go, otherwise I promise you, I'll scream that loud that the whole prison will come and look what's going on here." He looked at them nastily and opened his mouth.  
  
"Well, I think we don't have a choice." Piper said and Paige nodded. They took their hands Paige took Fleisher and they orbed into the Halliwell Manor together. When they arrived, Leo looked at them astonished.  
  
"He wanted to scream the whole prison together, we couldn't do anything else." Piper explained him.  
  
"Okay, we'll manage it." Leo said understanding.  
  
"We can bring him back tomorrow early in the morning. It was too disgusting to wait their for other demons." Piper added.  
  
Because meanwhile Fleisher has fainted, Leo took him into the cellar and Piper searched for some cords. When she found something, they tied Fleisher up to a chair.  
  
"He is really acting stupid," Paige wondered. "He works together with demons, but he fainted while I orbed him out of prison."  
  
"And what shall we do with him now?" Phoebe asked and looked at him reluctantly. "Perhaps he'll tell us something of his occult Satan worshiping cult, when he'll wake up again. It would be interesting for me to know, why he had the stupid idea to join forces with the underworld."  
  
"Well you can ask Cole, because he also likes to work with demons." Paige said ironically and looked at Phoebe challenging. But Phoebe didn't let herself provoke.  
  
"Oh yes, Phoebe." Leo interrupted. "The Elders wouldn't except, if you got involved with him again."  
  
"Then tell them, it's my own business, they have nothing to do with it. He is a mortal now and therefore it's my private life and my decision."  
  
"Well they see this matter quite differently. Finally they are responsible that he is still alive."  
  
"But he won't cause any problems anymore. And you have told me already, that they can't undo their decision. And I really advice them not to do it. Well, they shouldn't care about it, I'll manage it, don't worry."  
  
Nevertheless the three looked at her worried, but Phoebe tried to ignore it, she didn't want to see it. "And anyway, we have other problems now." She pointed at Fleisher, who woke up of his unconsciousness.  
  
"Where am I?" He asked frightened and looked at the sisters. "You! Why have you done it, now they'll believe that I've betrayed them. That's only your fault." He flashed at them furiously.  
  
"I have already told you, that the demon wanted to kill you." Paige replied.  
  
"And we regret it deeply that we carried about it." Piper muttered and looked at Leo accusing.  
  
"That's nonsense." Fleisher said unhappy. "He wanted to rescue me."  
  
"With an energy ball?"  
  
"You were so stupid." He answered sneering. "Did you really think he wanted to hit me? Haven't you looked around in that cell?"  
  
The sisters looked at each other thoughtfully. "There was a camera." Piper remembered. Was it possible that the demon wanted to destroy the camera? "Phoebe?" She asked her sister.  
  
Phoebe tried to remember what she had seen in her premonition and said carefully. "Okay, it's possible."  
  
Paige smiled at Fleisher friendly. "Great." she said. "At least we have done a good deed. The demon wanted to help you to escape and we have hindered him."  
  
"That's it, nobody asked for your help. You have ruined everything. How shall I explain that?" Fleisher thought fearful. "They don't waste their words."  
  
"Well, then you should sleep peaceful now." Piper said and smiled friendly, she turned around and said. "It'll be the last time for the time being, because you'll have to wait for their revenge."  
  
"Oh no, oh no." Fleisher moaned.  
  
"Or you could tell us something about your demonic union. Perhaps we'll agree to protect you a little bit longer." Phoebe offered him.  
  
Fleisher looked at her angrily. "Thanks, but no, I don't need your so- called help. You won't hear anything about it. I'll explain it to my friends, they'll understand it."  
  
"If you really think so." Leo checked the shackles for the last time and they left the cellar.  
  
"Tomorrow morning we'll bring him back to his cell, perhaps it's a good idea to give him a sleeping pill." Piper planed, when they arrived upstairs. "But what will we do then?"  
  
"Perhaps Darryl can help us. He could to take him to a guarded place, where the demons won't find him. He wouldn't be in danger anymore and they could make sure that he'll be at court for his hearings."  
  
"And if he is able to call the demons?" Paige pointed out.  
  
"He won't do that, you have seen him." Phoebe explained. "He is afraid, that they could touch a hair on him."  
  
Paige nodded and Piper turned to her husband. "I'm really sorry Leo, you were right. We have to listen to Phoebe's premonitions." She snuggled up to him.  
  
They decided that there wouldn't be any danger that night and so they went to sleep. There was nothing to stop a peaceful night, only an early call of the alarm clock the next morning. 


	24. Chapter 24

Thanks for your reviews and to let me know, how you think the story should go on. Well it's difficult to say something to it, without telling too much about my story now. The powers were a problem, too, that's right. I didn't want to see Cole helpless, but ..... Well I hope you'll go on reading and tell me, what you think about the way the things were going on in my story!  
  
Chapter 24  
  
When Cole entered his office next morning, he surprisingly met one of the editors. He wanted to give Cole the order to write an article about the opening of an exhibition this night. It was and exhibiton of a new artist who builts sculptures made of metal.  
  
"Me? What gives you the idea, I could do that?" Cole wondered. "I have no idea of this art."  
  
"Usually Helen is writing these articles, you know." The editor explained  
  
"Okay, but Angela could write it this time."  
  
"But she isn't in town today and she won't be back until tomorrow."  
  
"But there must be somebody else, who could do it. I'm not the right man for it." Cole explained convinced.  
  
"I've already told you, that it's Helen's regular column and you know she is very special about it." He looked at Cole knowing. "We couldn't find anybody else, who has the courage to write it. So you were chosen."  
  
"Wonderful! But I haven't the foggiest ideas about it."  
  
"You only have to read some of Helen's articles and imitate her writing style." He grinned merrily. "You have proofed already, that you're good in it. And well, perhaps you'll like it."  
  
Cole looked at him hardly convinced. "But I have other plans for tonight." He tried for the last time.  
  
The editor put two tickets on the desk. "Take her with you. Women like such events. Pretty dresses, interesting people, an exclusive snack. You can combine private life with your profession."  
  
Reluctantly Cole took the tickets and looked at them.  
  
"It'll begin at 7 o'clock and I'm waiting for the article until tomorrow midday." He left Cole's office with a satisfied grin.  
  
Cole was still looking at the tickets disgruntled. But perhaps it would be fun. He didn't know if Phoebe belonged to this women, who enjoyed such events, but he would find it out soon. He took the phone and dialed her number. But in her office they told him, that she was working at home today.  
  
Phoebe has had a bad night, she went to bed late at night and she couldn't sleep. Although she knew that Fleisher couldn't escape, she couldn't relax. Her alarm clock was ringing early in the morning, when it was still dark outside. They gave the moaning Fleisher something to sleep and Paige orbed him back into his cell. Meanwhile the others called Darryl and explained him the situation. He assured that he would find a solution for this problem.  
  
Still very tired, Phoebe decided to work at home this day. She was alone when the phone was ringing in the afternoon.  
  
It was Cole. After a short welcome, he told her, that he would have to go to an exhibition this evening for profession. "Our editor told me, that women love such events, therefore, would you like to come with me?"  
  
"Sure, why not. It could be interesting. What kind of exhibition is it?"  
  
Cole looked at the pretentiously designed tickets. He could make out some works of the artist. "Well, the artist has built sculptures of scrap metal. It doesn't look very interesting. But we only have to drop in for a while. I finally want to see about what I'll have to write this article."  
  
"Okay, when will the exhibition be opened?"  
  
Cole told her the time and asked her, when he should come for her.  
  
Phoebe thought about it. "Well, you know." she said thoughtfully. "I think I'll come to you. Your apartment is very central and we can go to the exhibition together."  
  
Cole agreed satisfied, because he wasn't desperate to meet her family.  
  
After Cole had read two of Helen's articles, he decided to visit her in the hospital. He hadn't seen her the last two days and he wanted to meet her anyway. This time he bought some flowers in the shop in front of the hospital, before he walked into Helen's room.  
  
"Hello stranger." she said, when he entered the room.  
  
"Stranger? I visited you last Sunday." He justified himself, while he put the flowers into a vase.  
  
"Sunday? Today is Wednesday. And it's so boring here, every day seems to me like an eternity."  
  
Cole put the vase on the little table beside her bed and he noticed that the journals were lying there opened. "Wow, you even have solved the crosswords." he wondered amused.  
  
"No, Peter had done it. He wants to win the Super-Big-Screen-Television. But I read the true stories. And I was surprised, that some people have such exciting lifes." She looked at him and smiled. "When these stories are really true, I can't keep abreast of with them, although somebody shot at me."  
  
"Next time I'll give you some new journals." He promised.  
  
"Oh yes, please. It's great to kill time. Well, what's new?"  
  
Cole told her, that he would have to write an article about the exhibition this evening. "You know, I have no idea about it, so could you give me an advice?"  
  
After Helen told him, what he had to take into account, she warned him. "But don't dare to spoil my column. I really can't understand, why you were chosen."  
  
"Well, nobody dares to do it."  
  
"You are joking, aren't you?" She asked and when he shook his head, she added shocked. "I'm not that bad, am I?"  
  
"Sure, what are you thinking?" He said ironically. "But I have a strong suspicion, that they aren't very enthusiastic to spent their evening at this exhibition just like me. But you won't believe it, the readers will love my article and I won't get rid of this damn column anymore."  
  
"Don't act that stupid. It's always funny to go there. I mostly like it." She looked at him interesting. "You can go there together with Phoebe."  
  
"I already had this idea." He told her.  
  
"And will she come with you?" Helen asked and when he nodded, she added. "And everything is alright with you?"  
  
"Helen, don't!" He looked at her annoyed.  
  
"Well there's no harm in asking, is there?" She looked at him. "Will we meet her someday?"  
  
"Sure, but at the moment you're in hospital." He said with relief.  
  
"Yes, but they'll discharge me next Friday. And next week I'll have a lot of time." She said grinning.  
  
"Well, we'll see." He answered vaguely and turned around to go.  
  
When Phoebe was ready that evening, she walked downstairs and met Piper, who looked at her interesting. "Hey Phoebe, nice dress, what are your plans for tonight?"  
  
"Well, I'll go to a sort of art opening."  
  
"Together with Cole?" Piper asked and when she heard Phoebes low agreement, she added. "Will he pass by here?"  
  
"No, I'll go to his apartment by car. It's more central and it's easier to get to the exhibition hall." she explained.  
  
"Oh, was that his idea?"  
  
"No, mine."  
  
Piper looked at her sister surprised.  
  
"I know that you are against Cole and our new relationship." Phoebe justified herself.  
  
"But that didn't mean, that you have to keep him away from us." Piper said and shook her head. "I think we have been rather tolerant towards him in all the years, haven't we?"  
  
Phoebe nodded.  
  
"Okay, I'm convinced that you shouldn't revive your relationship. And I also can't forgive him, what he has done. But I won't place obstacles in your path. And if you decide that you belong together, that he belongs to your life again, I'll accept it. But I advice you to be cautious."  
  
Phoebe looked at her sister happy.  
  
"You could come to the P3 after this exhibition, if you wanted." Piper suggested conciliatory.  
  
"You are serious about it?" Phoebe asked delighted.  
  
"Yes, I would be glad to see you."  
  
"Thanks." She hugged her sister and set off to Cole's apartment.  
  
When he opened the door to let Phoebe in, he looked at her admiring. "Wow," he said. "I think women should come to me more often, if they looked as beautiful as you do." He pulled her enthusiastic into his apartment and kissed her at the same time. Still holding her tight, he leaned back a little bit to look at her face. "I think we can give this stupid exhibition a miss." he muttered. "I would prefer to be alone with you."  
  
She pushed him a little bit away from her and looked at him grinning. "I don't want to ruin your career."  
  
"Oh my career." He gave a sign of refusal. "It was never very important for me. And I'll manage to write this damn article without going to the exhibition." He explained and wanted to kiss her again.  
  
Phoebe swerve aside playfully and said firmly. "We can be alone after this exhibition. It would really interest me."  
  
"Really?" He looked at her surprised and let her go. "Well, why not. Your wish is my command." He took his jacket and the keys for the car and opened the door. "But I have to warn you, the tickets don't look promising. I don't think that this event will be very interesting." He gave her the tickets and Phoebe looked at them curiously.  
  
"We'll see. Perhaps it'll surprise us." She said happy, when they were waiting for the elevator.  
  
When they arrived in front of the exhibition hall, a few people were already waiting for the opening there. Exactly at 7 o'clock, the door was opened and a friendly man took the tickets and gave every visitor a small pamphlet about every single exhibit. Cole leafed through it and found some personal data and a photo of Janny Aroso the artist on the last page.  
  
"What a coincidence." he told Phoebe and showed her the last page. "Aroso has worked for the Deacon Factory and when he decided to become an artist, they were so friendly, to make him available their metal scrap."  
  
"Well it looks like that." Phoebe said and stopped in front of one of his work of art. It looked like an wild omnium gatherum of metal scrap. "What is that supposed to be? Is there anything written about it?"  
  
"The worker in the 21th century." Cole read and looked at the work doubtfully.  
  
"And where is the worker?" Phoebe asked and walked around it.  
  
"Probably under the scrap heap." Cole supposed.  
  
Phoebe and Cole laughed and walked to the next work of art. It was a kind of wire netting with integrated door-handles. "Closed doors. About the desperation when there is no way opened anymore. Very poetical, you must only have the right ideas to sell your scrap."  
  
"Yes it's great." Phoebe agreed. "You only have to heap one piece of scrap of the other and you'll become filthy rich. I'm only wondering, who on earth is buying it?"  
  
"Some rich people, who don't know, where to spend their money. Or banks and insurance companies, they prefer to buy such kind of art." Cole explained. "They think it's an useful investment, because they hope, that the works of young artists increase in value in time."  
  
"And if it won't happen?"  
  
"Then the works disfigure the entrance halls and gather dust or rust, whatever you want."  
  
They walked to the next works, when Phoebe suddenly stopped paralyzed. Cole followed her look and saw another work of the artist, which was shining brightly. They went closer and Cole said sarcastically "Well, this one you can use as a lamp at least." He looked at it closer and added thoughtfully. "Although, I think I have seen something like that before."  
  
Phoebe looked at him horrified and said quickly. "Cole, haven't you told me, that they also have some snacks here?" When he nodded, she asked him to take her a drink.  
  
When he left, she went to the work closer and looked at it. It was a metal dish, built like an open hand. You could see every single finger. A little bit above the hand was a ball formed out of wires, which was spinning round. It was impossible to see, where the ball was fixed and therefore it seemed as if it was hovering. The wires were shining in a very bright light and because of the fast spinning it seemed as if the wires were only one shining ball. Phoebe didn't know, how the artist achieved this effect, but she was sure that this work of art should show a demonic energy ball. She was lost in her inspection and didn't notice that another visitor stepped beside her and said. "You know, what that is supposed to be, don't you?"  
  
Phoebe startled and saw that the artist in person was standing beside her.  
  
"I didn't want to disturb you," he excused. "But I have seen you watching my work."  
  
"Where have you seen anything like that?" Phoebe asked curiously.  
  
"Then you know it? " He asked excited. She looked at him and nodded finally. "I have seen it in an empty warehouse of the Deacon factory. Not far away there was the place where I could get some metal scrap, they made me available. One evening I went there to find something suitable, when I heard a noise from the warehouse. I walked to it and looked inside the hall. But what I was seeing.." He looked at Phoebe frightening. ".. was horrible. There was a creature, I don't know, I can't describe it. It looked like a monster in a movie and it formed this burning ball in his hand." Aroso showed at his work. "I was fascinated about it, I could only look at the burning ball. I couldn't free me from looking at it, therefore I didn't notice that there must have been somebody else in the hall. Because the creature threw this ball at him and it hit somebody. I heard a loud scream, but when I watched into this direction I couldn't see anybody anymore. I only saw fire and I smelt burnt flesh. It was awful. I turned around and ran as fast as I could." He looked at the ground thoughtfully. "After it, I tried to persuade me, that it was only a dream. But I never really believed it. This ball haunted me and I had to create this work of art to digest it."  
  
"And this work really turned out well." Phoebe said him.  
  
"But could you tell me, what I have seen?"  
  
Phoebe thought about it for a while, but then she decided to tell him a kind of truth. "Probably you have seen a demon, I have read about it." He looked at her horrified. "But don't worry, if he didn't see you, you wouldn't be in danger anymore."  
  
He wanted to ask her something else, but a crowd of people walked up to them and bombarded the artist with their questions.  
  
Phoebe was really grateful about it and left him quickly. But while doing it, she nearly crashed into Cole, who was holding two glasses of champagne in his hands.  
  
"You won't believe the rush of people there." He told her and gave her the glass. "I think most of the people here only went to this exhibition, because they want something to eat and to drink. Although the snacks didn't look very appetizing." He drank some champagne and looked at Phoebe curiously. "I have seen you talking to the artist in person. What's he like? A little bit crazy?"  
  
Phoebe looked around, but luckily she couldn't see Aroso anymore. She breathed in relief and said. "No, he was quite usual, but it was a little bit awkward for me, because we ran his works down just before."  
  
Cole laughed. "And what did he tell you about it?"  
  
"Nothing important." She drank up the champagne and looked at Cole. "What do you think? Have you seen enough to write your article?"  
  
"Sure, no problem, if you want to go, we can go now." They put their glasses down on a narrow windowsill and walked to the exit. But just before they reached it, an enthusiastic "Phoebe!" stopped them. Phoebe looked back and saw Philip Hartman to her surprise.  
  
"Phoebe," he said again. "What a nice surprise to meet you here." He walked to her and kissed her on her cheek. "Good gracious, how you dressed you up again this evening."  
  
How could anybody be that slimy, Cole thought dryly and looked at them sceptically.  
  
"Philip, what are you doing here? Are you interested in young artists?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Yes, indeed. I already found some interesting works of art. And I toy with the idea of buying one of them. These young talented artists need people supporting them." he said benevolent. "I'm convinced that this one will be a great success in future."  
  
"Really?" Phoebe had to try hard not to laugh.  
  
Philip still looked at her satisfied. "I'm really happy to meet you here, my dear. We haven't heard anything about each other since the ball. I was very busy, you know." He looked up and finally noticed the man standing beside Phoebe. He recognized him as the man, who had told him that Phoebe had left the ball. Even then he thought that he was impolite and unpleasant, but it really surprised him to see him here together with Phoebe. He gave him a short nod.  
  
Cole grinned back friendly and said dryly. "I thought you were already sitting in prison."  
  
Phoebe nudged him and glared at him disapproving.  
  
"Well, I hope you don't believe anything of that nonsense Phoebe, do you?" Philip said excited and continued. "It's only a big misunderstanding. And Harold Fleisher is reviled unjustly." He shook his head. "It's an insidious campaign of pompous scribblers, nothing more. They want to increase the sell of their papers and they stop at nothing. And they don't care, that they damage the reputation of distinguished people. It's such a shame." He shook his head again ashamed.  
  
Cole started to give him the right answer, but Phoebe held him back. She didn't want to come to blows between them. "At the end we'll know the truth." she said conciliatory. "But unfortunately we have to go now. It was nice to meet you Philip. You can call me, if you have time again, okay?" She took Cole's arm and pulled him to the exit.  
  
"I'll do it, my dear." They heard Philip saying behind them.  
  
"Why didn't you want me to give him the right answer." Cole asked angrily, when they were standing in front of the exhibition hall. "The wonderful Harold Fleisher, unjustly reviled, that's nonsense. And of course it was right, that somebody shot at Helen, because he only wanted to stop her lying article. You hopefully don't believe anything of it, do you?" He stared at her furiously.  
  
"No, of course not, but there's no reason to get excited about it. Philip would never confess that he is involved in it, or that the accusations are true. Therefore I didn't want to allow an useless quarreling to spoil my evening"  
  
"Okay, perhaps you are right. But you really don't want that he'll call you again."  
  
"Mm, let me think about it."  
  
"You only wanted to make me jealous, didn't you?" He laughed. "Sometimes you can be a real bitch, you know."  
  
"Yes, I do." she said with a knowing smile, only with a 'w'. She took his arm and they walked along the street and searched for a restaurant. They found an inviting one not far away. When they sat down, Phoebe asked Cole. "Do you already know, what you'll write about the exhibition?"  
  
He looked at her. "Don't worry, I won't slam Aroso. I don't dare it, because you know him in person now." He smiled "I think I'll write the same things Helen used to write. It seems as if it isn't important what this work of art looks like, but what it has to say."  
  
"And his works have to say something." Phoebe admitted thoughtfully.  
  
He looked at her surprised. "Well he came up with some nice words about his scrap, but otherwise .... " He shrugged his shoulders. "And I don't know, which of his works I should describe more detailed. Perhaps this lamp, because you can use it at least."  
  
"Mm," Phoebe wanted to get him of this work of art and suggested. "You should take this heap of scrap or the metal rack with the door-handles, the lamp is too usual."  
  
"That may be. But I'm wondering, why I think that I have seen something like that before, strange." He speculated, but to Phoebe's relief the waitress took his mind off this thought.  
  
When they had finished their meal, Phoebe suggested to go to the P3 after it.  
  
"Your sister is an owner of a club?" Cole asked surprised.  
  
"Yes and it's a popular one. You'll be amazed."  
  
"Mm, well I thought your sisters aren't my biggest fans."  
  
"They accept my decision." Phoebe explained and looked at him. She noticed that Cole wasn't enthusiastic about her suggestion.  
  
"Well, I'm really happy about it." He said. "But you know, it's bad enough, that you know more about me, than I do. But that your sisters know more about me ...." He pulled a dissatisfied face.  
  
"You have to try to deal with this situation. My family means a lot to me and I won't exclude them from my life."  
  
"I never had the idea to demand it." He explained seriously. After they were silent for a while, he asked. "Have you ever been such close friends?"  
  
"Oh no," Phoebe answered laughing. "Not a bit. When we were teenagers, we nearly couldn't stand each other. Only my grandmother held us together. Especially Prue and me, we were quarreling the whole time." Phoebe sounded sad. "I still miss her so much."  
  
"Her death must have been terrible for you."  
  
"Yes it was and it's still terrible. And it was really hard for Piper." She was silent for a while, then she looked at him. "You helped me to get through that time."  
  
"Oh, the first time that I hear something good about me." He said pleased. "Did I get on well with her?"  
  
"With Prue?" Phoebe had to smile, when he nodded. And she continued. "Oh, that is not so easy. In the beginning you couldn't stand each other. But in time it was coming right. You've accepted each other more or less, although you still liked to quarrel. But I think, although none of you would have ever confessed it, you liked each other more or less." She grinned. "She would wring my neck that I told you this." She looked at him lost in her thoughts and suddenly she got suspicious. "Why do you know, that she is dead?"  
  
"When I first met you, I wanted to find out something about your family of course." He explained. "But I couldn't get a lot of information."  
  
"That's even better." She said carefully.  
  
When they left the restaurant and walked back to Cole's car, Cole returned to the subject. "I'm wondering, why Paige has another surname. I mean she isn't married."  
  
"Cole." Phoebe replied with a drawl.  
  
"What? That has nothing to do with us. You just told me, that your sisters mean a lot to you." He smiled satisfied.  
  
Phoebe groaned. "Okay, Paige is our half-sister, we first met her after Prue's death."  
  
"Really? And why?"  
  
"That's a long story." She looked at him sceptically. "That's really interesting for you?"  
  
"I only want to take an interest in your family life. Perhaps then you'll accept not to go to the P3 anymore." He grinned. Meanwhile they arrived at Cole's car. "I would prefer to be alone with you." He said softly and looked at her hypnotizing.  
  
Phoebe looked back and smiled. "We won't have to go there, if you absolutely don't want to." She said. She flung her arms around his neck and started to kiss him. He hugged her tighter and kissed her satisfied, before he stopped for a while, to tell her. "But before we'll go back to my apartment, we'll have to go somewhere else." He let her go and opened the door.  
  
Phoebe got into the car and asked. "And where will we go?"  
  
"That's a surprise." Cole set off. After a while he turned left and drove on the parking lot of a big hypermarket. He stopped and got out of the car.  
  
Phoebe got out too and asked him. "What are we doing here? And do you think we are wearing the right dress for shopping?"  
  
"We don't need a lot of time." Cole took her hand and she took it without hesitation.  
  
The supermarket was nearly empty at this time. They met only a few customers, who looked surprised at their evening dress. Cole walked to the shelves with cosmetic goods and told her with an inviting gesture. "Take what you need. Shower foam, shampoo, tooth brush, whatever you need."  
  
She looked at him laughing. "You are crazy." She said and shook her head.  
  
"Only for you." He replied calmly.  
  
How could she live without him, Phoebe wondered. She stared at him fascinated. Luckily he was standing a few meters away from her, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to guarantee anything. She forced herself to turn her look away to the shelves with the range of goods. Quickly she chose some cosmetics. Then she took his hand again and pulled him along to the cash desk, where they were the only customers.  
  
"Well, you were very modest." Cole said surprised, when they were standing at the parking lot again.  
  
"I didn't want to waste too much time. So let's get into the car and drive to you apartment."  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
Next morning, Phoebe woke up satisfied, while Cole's arms were wrapped around her. She saw a ray of sunshine shining into the bedroom through the glass door. She noticed that Cole was awake too, because he kissed her on her neck.  
  
"Good morning." Phoebe muttered and turned around to look at him. "Why don't you have curtains for your bedroom?"  
  
"Why? Does it disturb you?" He asked still a little bit sleepy and looked to the balcony. "We are at the 7th floor, nobody can watch us."  
  
"That isn't the reason." She looked to the glass door. "You never have a good long sleep."  
  
"Well, you get used to it. But if you want it, I'll buy some."  
  
"No, it isn't necessary." She grinned. "I'll get used to it." She wanted to kiss him, when she watched at the clock, standing at his bedside table. "Oh no," she let out. "It's already that late?"  
  
"You see, you can sleep long without curtains." Cole said satisfied and leant back.  
  
"But I have to go to work, as fast as possible. I already didn't turn up there yesterday." She got up and searched for her clothes.  
  
"But you can go there from my apartment, it isn't far." Cole said and got up to dress up, too. "Finally you have your own cosmetics here." He added and showed to the bathroom.  
  
"Wonderful idea, shall I go to work in my evening dress?" She looked at him disapproving. "I can imagine the gossip. No thanks, I'll spare me that."  
  
"Why didn't you buy a nice t-shirt and trousers in the market yesterday?"  
  
"I'm sorry, but fashion from the supermarket isn't my style." Meanwhile she was dressed in her evening dress again. "Oh, I hate it to come home in my evening dress." She said and looked down dissatisfied.  
  
Cole looked at her, too and said. "I think you look beautiful."  
  
"Thanks!" Phoebe walked to him with a smile and flung her arms round his neck. She looked up and said disappointed. "I'm sorry, that I can't stay any longer to use my new shower foam and to have breakfast. Next time we'll plan it better, I promise." She kissed him goodbye and went to the door. Cole followed her. When she left the apartment, she turned around again and told him that she would call soon. 


	25. Chapter 25

I'm really happy that you like it Mickis. I also loved to see Cole and Phoebe together in the show, they were just perfect for each other, a cute couple. I really can't understand, how it was possible that somebody created such a wonderful couple and then ruined it. And not only ruined it, no they had to do it in such a cruel way, I just can't imagine why? Sometimes it begins to pall when a couple comes together in a show, but this time definitely not. They were always interesting together, never boring or kitchy or anything like that. I really could start to get worked up about it, but I better stop here.  
  
Sorry, if some things happen too slowly, but I wrote the story more like a book and therefore things can't happen too fast. Perhaps it would be easier to read it in one go, I think. But I promise to hurry, okay?  
  
Chapter 25  
  
After Cole had finished the article about Janny Aroso's exhibition, totally written in Helen's style, he went to the Canterro chemical plant to meet Trisha Raymond. When he arrived at their meeting point, she was already waiting there nervously.  
  
"Hello," she said and gave him his identity card. "I know it isn't very good, but I hope nobody will notice it."  
  
"Hey, everything will go alright." Cole tried to calm her down while he watched at his nearly perfectly faked identity card.  
  
"Yes, I know, but I'm worried. I don't know, but I'm not the right person for anything like this." She looked at the plant dismally.  
  
"I thought usually you spy out companies, which are potentially polluting the environment." He admitted surprised. "Isn't that dangerous?"  
  
"That's something else. That has nothing to do with me or my life. "Okay Mr. Torrens."  
  
"You can call me Cole." he said.  
  
"Okay, I'm Trisha." She gave him her hand and asked. "Cole? I thought your name is Kevin."  
  
He grinned. "Yes, that's true. Today my name is Kevin, but my real name was Cole. It's a little bit complicated. So you can choose which name you prefer, I listen to both of them."  
  
"That means, that you already know who you have been before your amnesia?"  
  
"More or less. That's a long story." He looked at his watch. "Let's go to the entrance, otherwise we'll miss the guided tour."  
  
Trisha waggled with her foot. "Perhaps that wouldn't be bad." she muttered. "Well, I would like to wait a little bit longer." She explained unhappy. "But that won't help." She took a deep breath and said a little bit more confident. "If I feel too bad, we'll be able to take part at the guided tour like the other visitors, won't we?"  
  
"Well, everything will be alright, don't worry." He said optimistically and took her arm. He wouldn't waste his afternoon to take part at a boring guided tour through a chemical plant. They walked to the entrance gate together.  
  
When they arrived there, they saw a man with a note pad in his hand. Trisha told him their names, she had chosen, when she had announced them for the guided tour. The man checked them and gave Trisha two visitor cards. Then he let them pass by to the factory site. Some people who wanted to visit the factory, too, were already waiting there.  
  
"Hopefully, we'll be more visitors in this tour." Trisha said dismally and looked around. "If we are only a few people, we won't be able to get to the dressing room unobserved."  
  
"You aren't a very optimistic person, are you?"  
  
Trisha shrugged her shoulders. "That's me."  
  
Cole shook his head and looked back to the entrance gate. And what he was seeing made him smile. "But you should be optimistic, look around." He showed to the gate. "A noisy group of teenagers. It couldn't be any better."  
  
In the end it was a group of 40 people, who entered the entrance hall at 2 p.m.. Cole looked around and saw a reception with a woman dressed in neat clothes at the left side. On the other side, there was a corner unit with chairs and a table with publicity brochures on it. But the most amusing for Cole was a work of art in the back of the room. It was gathering dust and looked like one of Janny Aroso's works. A rack of metal and nets. The woman walked to the group and gave every visitor a publicity brochure. Cole looked at it and saw Meagan Canterro. Timothy Clark's description was right. She really looked cold as ice with her silver-blond short cut hair and her hard expression. Cole tried to recognize her picture in the yearbook. It had shown a quite usual woman, perhaps a little bit too serious and dutiful, but she hadn't had this cold personality.  
  
After a while a man walked beside the work of art and welcomed the visitors in the name of the manager Meagan Canterro. He started a lecture about the merit of chemical goods. Cole had the impression, that it took an eternity. After countless phrases like 'chemisty is life' they finally walked into the plant. They entered a sterile white corridor with a few doors. Straight on the corridor led to the production plant and the labs. The group walked along this corridor and Trisha whispered to Cole that they should stay behind. Nobody noticed them, while the school class monopolized the guide.  
  
The group passed the first doors and Trisha started to bite at her lips uneasily. At the next door she gave Cole a sign, that he should take off his visitor card. Then she opened the door beside them, but she saw to her dismay, two employees talking in the dressing room. Trisha stopped horrified, but Cole pretended that there was no doubt that he belonged here. He gave them a short nod and walked to the shelves. Trisha followed him quickly and noticed, that the employees didn't care about them. She took her key and opened her old shelve, but as she already supposed, they had given it to somebody else and her things were gone. When she looked up again, she noticed, that the employees had left the room. She breathed in relief.  
  
"Luckily they are gone." Trisha walked to the back of the room, where she could find some coats for exchange. She gave one of it to Cole and put on another one. She fixed her identity card and went to the exit.  
  
Cole advised her to act as if she would still belong to the staff of this factory. She nodded and opened the door. They didn't want to waste too much time, because they had only 45 minutes until the visitor group would pass this corridor again.  
  
Inconspicuously she led Cole through a labyrinth of corridors. They met some people on their way, but nobody noticed them. Trisha calmed down in time. Everything would be alright, she tried to encourage herself.  
  
Cole walked behind her and hoped, that she really knew the right way. It seemed to him as if they went through the same corridors already for hours. And they never reached their goal. When they turned around a corner once again, Trisha stopped and whispered. "There we are."  
  
Cole looked around surprised. The corridor looked the same, even and impenetrable wall. He could hardly believe that there could be a secret door somewhere. "Are you sure?" He asked and looked at her sceptically.  
  
Trisha nodded and went to the end of the corridor. Cole followed her and she showed him a small room with a barricaded door to the pharmaceutical department. Cole understood and they started to search for a secret gap.  
  
After a while Trisha sighed and said. "Probably here isn't anything and the whole excitement was for nothing."  
  
"Where was this marked place?" Cole asked.  
  
Trisha looked at the note again. Then she looked at the wall. "I think here." She gave him the note and walked to the place.  
  
Cole took the note and looked at it closer. "Mm, I think it's too big for a lock. It could refer to the place of the secret door."  
  
Trisha took a close look at the wall. "Well, perhaps I could imagine that these lines in the wall could be a door. But that doesn't help us, we have to find the damn lock."  
  
"Okay, you'll search for it in front of this pharmaceutical department and I'll try to find the lock at the other side of this corridor." Cole suggested.  
  
Trisha agrees and went into the small room. She looked around and hoped nobody would come through the door of the pharmaceutical department. Suddenly she noticed a strange sign in waist-high. It was very small and painted at the wall in a light color, therefore it was hardly noticeable. She called for Cole and both looked at the sign closely. Cole ran his hand over it and a small aperture opened immediately. Both looked at each other triumphantly. Cole looked along the corridor to watch if somebody was coming, while Trisha took the card. She pulled it through the slit, but nothing happened. She tried it again, but she only heard a dismissive noise. Cole walked back to her and looked asking.  
  
"It doesn't work." She said enervating. In this moment another employee reached the corridor in front of them. Trisha pulled Cole back into the corridor and bowed her head, when the man passed them.  
  
"Why did we go back into this corridor? We don't have enough time." Cole asked angrily.  
  
"What do you think he would have thought, if he had seen us standing in front of the door to the pharmaceutical department? At best that we found a good place for kissing while our working hours but at worst that we were spying." Trisha whispered angrily. She turned around, when she heard, that the man had entered the pharmaceutical department and the door had closed again. They walked back to the lock in the wall and Trisha said. "This time you'll try it. This damn cards never work, when I try it." She gave him the card and walked into the corridor to keep guard.  
  
Cole went to the lock and pulled the card through the slit. He heard an certifying noise and walked back into the corridor with a triumphant smile.  
  
"Don't dare to say anything." Trisha warned him. But they focused their attention immediately to the secret door. It opened without any noise. They walked through it and the door closed behind them.  
  
Cole looked back. "Hopefully we'll find a way to open it again."  
  
Trisha turned around, too and pointed at a button at the left side. "There is a button, but I hope there won't be anybody in the corridor, when we'll use it. That could get quite nasty."  
  
"Come on." Cole said. "We can worry about it later." They went downstairs and entered a small room. There were only two filing cabinets in it. Cole looked around disappointed. "That's it?"  
  
"Year, I have also expected something different." Trisha said and walked to one of the filing cabinets.  
  
"Perhaps we'll find some top secret files." Cole supposed optimistically and went to the other one.  
  
"But it's rather strange. I remember that they always told us, that Meagan Canterro wants a paperless office. That means all documents were scanned and other data were fed into the computer." Trisha explained. "That was a lot of work, my colleagues told me. But they couldn't talk her out of it." She opened the door and found a lot of files standing there. She took one of it and started to leaf through the documents. "Well, research reports."  
  
Cole wanted to open the cabinet, too, when he noticed the same symbol at the door, he had already seen at the lock. He supposed that it could be the secret sign of this satanic clique. He opened the door and saw some files. He turned around and asked Trisha. "This files may be very interesting, but what are we doing now? We don't have enough time to leaf through all of it." He looked at the labels and took a file. He opened it, but the content didn't mean a thing to him. He took another file, but again he couldn't make head or tail of it. He looked at Trisha again, but she was absorbed in her file. "Well, that doesn't mean a thing to me. What are we searching for?"  
  
Cole noticed that it was hard for her to look up. "These are research reports about substances, which are absolutely unknown." She said fascinated and watched at the document again. "Try to find something dubious." She suggested.  
  
Wonderful advice, very useful, Cole thought, every document looked the same. He put the file back into the cabinet and suddenly saw a small shelf at the top. It was impossible to see not mentioned to reach it for small people. Even Cole had to dislocate his arm to get the folder lying there. It was thin and very dusty. Cole opened it and saw some blueprints and architect's plans. When he wanted to take a close look at it, he heard that somebody opened the secret door.  
  
Trisha looked at Cole horrified. They looked around, but there was nothing in the room, only the two filing cabinets.  
  
"Try to squeeze yourself behind the cabinet." Cole whispered and Trisha tried to put his advice into action immediately. Cole heard the steps at the stairs and he closed the door of the cabinet carefully. Then he tried to get behind it, too. But it wasn't easy for him. He had to push the cabinet into the room a little bit, to get behind it.  
  
He couldn't see Trisha anymore, but meanwhile she had other problems. Horrified she noticed a big black spider sitting at the wall. She wanted to run away immediately, but she clenched her teeth. Spiders made her sick, but the unexpected visitor was much more dangerous.  
  
Cole heard that the door of Trisha's cabinet was opened and paper was rustling. He hoped that the intruder wouldn't come to his cabinet. Because he didn't want that he noticed the new position of it in the middle of the room.  
  
Both of them had the impression that the person needed an eternity until he or she left the room and went to the stairs again. Immediately Trisha ran from behind the cabinet into the room.  
  
"Ugh there was such a big spider sitting behind the cabinet." She had to shudder disgusted. "Luckily it didn't move, otherwise I don't know, what I had done."  
  
Meanwhile Cole was standing in front of the cabinet again and pushed it at his old place. "Well it probably knew it and wanted to go on living. Therefore it kept calm and didn't move." he said dryly.  
  
"Not on your life. I could never have killed it." She said and looked disgusted. "But for the first time I was more afraid of something else." She explained and opened the file cabinet again. "Let me see the new document." She said and took the file, which stood out a little bit. She opened it and looked at the date. "Okay," she said satisfied and looked at her clock. "Oh no! We have to go, otherwise we'll miss our group." She opened the fastener to get out some of the documents.  
  
Cole still held the folder with the blueprints in his hands and did the same. They put the documents under their clothes and put the empty files back into the cabinets.  
  
"Do you think anybody will notice it?" Trisha asked, when they were standing in front of the door again.  
  
"Well, it depends, how often they look at it. But nevertheless they'll never think about us." He said optimistically and pushed the button.  
  
"Hopefully." Trisha said, but to her dismay the door didn't open. "Oh no, why doesn't the door open?"  
  
"I don't know." Cole pushed the button again, but nothing happened. "If this guy put any information into it?"  
  
"I don't think so, try it again."  
  
Cole pushed the button again and again, and finally the door opened. "Luckily." he said in relief. "I already thought that I would have to kick down the door." He entered the corridor carefully and looked around. He couldn't see anybody.  
  
Trisha stepped behind him and they walked quickly along the corridor. When they just wanted to turn around the corner, they saw a group of people in front of them. It was obvious, that they had just passed the corridor with the secret door only minutes before. If he had opened the door earlier, they would have seen them, flashed through Cole's mind. "There must be a sensor or something like that." He said.  
  
"You are right." Trisha agreed. "And the door will only open, if nobody is at the corridor in front of it." She looked back and took a look at the closed door. "I'm really glad, that was the reason, why it didn't open. I hope you aren't offended," she looked at him sceptically "but that you could kick it down.... we'll have to forget about that."  
  
Cole shook his head and wanted to contradict, when he noticed that she was right. The door was too solid, it was impossible to open it violently. But he had been sure, that he was able to do it or better that he had been able to do it in former times. But why did he have this idea, finally he hadn't superhuman forces. Well this red bald monster would have been able to do it, flashed through his mine, but that was rubbish, only a dream, nothing else. Nevertheless it was strange, still lost in thoughts he followed Trisha through the labyrinth of corridors.  
  
Silent they reached the dressing room without a hitch. They took off the coats and put it back. Then they waited at the door and listened for the group. They heard the noisy school class already from a distance. When the group passed the door, Trisha opened it carefully and they ran behind the group. When they entered the entrance hall again, they were part of the group again, as if they had never been somewhere else.  
  
The guide said goodbye in front of the building and the group walked off the factory site and broke off quickly. Trisha and Cole were alone again and walked to their cars. They decided that Trisha would examine the research reports and Cole would care about the blueprints. 


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26  
  
Friday morning Piper, Leo, Paige and Phoebe sat together at the breakfast table and Phoebe told them about the exhibition on Wednesday and her talk to Janny Aroso.  
  
"So it seems as if Michael Deacon has contact with demons." Piper said thoughtfully. "Perhaps it would be useful to find out more about it." She looked at her husband. "Do you know anything about it?"  
  
"No, but I could ask around." He suggested and wanted to stand up.  
  
But Piper held him back. "It isn't that urgent. You can finish your breakfast first." She said with a smile.  
  
Phoebe grinned and continued her telling. "I got a shock, when I saw the replica of a demon energy ball, you can believe me." She drank some coffee and said thoughtfully. "Even Cole thought that he has seen something like that before." She looked at Leo piercing. "Are you sure, that his memory won't come back?"  
  
"The Elders assured me that he doesn't remember anything about his past." He explained again. "And that they won't come back. Although they aren't absolutely sure what will happen, if he gets into contact with demons. But I already told you about that."  
  
"Do you mean, he only has to meet a demon and immediately he'll remember that he has been a demon, too?" Paige wondered.  
  
"No, it isn't that easy." Leo tried to explain. "I just want to say, that nobody knows, what will happen if he gets in contact with the magical world again." He shrugged his shoulders. "But finally the Elders don't think that anything would happen. But nevertheless they don't want to take the responsibility for it."  
  
"But he already remembers Belthazor." Paige said.  
  
Phoebe looked at her perplexed. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Didn't Piper tell you anything about it?" Paige looked at her sister surprised, but Piper shook her head.  
  
"What?" Phoebe asked irritated.  
  
"Well he told us, that he had had a nightmare of Belthazor." Paige explained.  
  
"But he couldn't make head or tail of it." Piper tried to calm her sister down, who looked at Paige horrified. "He thought it was only a dream or that it once was his fancy dress for Halloween. I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily." She tried to explain Phoebe.  
  
"But if he can remember him, that means that there will still be rests of his memory somewhere in his mind." Phoebe thought.  
  
"Belthazor was part of him for more than 100 years, no wonder, that he can't forget him that easily." Paige explained and added. "Although he thought that it was a catcher or a movie monster."  
  
Phoebe didn't know, what she should think about it. Finally it wouldn't be the end of the world, if he remembered again, she tried to convince herself. But this imagination frightened her nevertheless. Okay, he was a mortal now and he would be able to live with it, hopefully. But everything was too perfect at the moment and she wanted it to stay the way it was.  
  
Still lost in thoughts she heard the door bell ringing. Piper went to the door and came back into the dining room with Darryl. She offered him a seat and when he sat down, he told them that he had put Harold Fleisher into a safety place. He didn't make any problems and accepted the situation. It seemed as if he was too afraid to call his demonic friends at the moment, because they didn't know the real facts. He probably thought that he would find a better moment to ask for their help later.  
  
Piper poured out coffee and Darryl drank some, then he turned to Phoebe. "Some time ago, you asked me about your and Cole's police file." He began and when Phoebe nodded, he continued. "Well, I just got the information, that somebody tampered with it."  
  
"What do you mean?" Piper asked interested.  
  
"It's obvious, that a very good hacker got over the safety device into the computer system. So he had the access to all confidential records. And he was especially interested into Cole's records."  
  
Phoebe looked at him shocked. "Are you absolutely sure?"  
  
"We received the alarm. But don't worry, Phoebe, Cole can't find out a lot."  
  
Phoebe was sitting on her chair thoughtfully, but it was seething inside of her, while Darryl looked at his watch and told them, that he only wanted to inform them about Fleisher and that he had to go now. Paige went to the door with him, while Leo said goodbye to his wife, because he also wanted to go. Piper looked at her husband's disappearing in blue lights and turned to her sister. She watched Phoebe concerned and said. "Darryl is right, the police doesn't know a lot about us. Cole won't get useful indications."  
  
Phoebe looked up and said angrily. "But that isn't the point. The point is, that he had promised me not to do it." She shook her head disappointed.  
  
Meanwhile Paige came back into the room and said carefully. "Do you really believe it?"  
  
"He had promised me." Phoebe confirmed.  
  
Paige looked at her sceptically. "That doesn't mean a thing." Phoebe stared at her angrily. "Don't get me wrong. That has nothing to do with Cole. But I wouldn't think that anybody would stop to get information about his former life, only because his girlfriend asked him to do it. Well I wouldn't do it."  
  
"But I made it a condition. Otherwise I didn't want to try it again. And if he didn't want to keep his promise, he shouldn't give it to me."  
  
"Oh, Phoebe. You held a pistol to his head." Piper tried to explain her.  
  
"Why do you have to defend him?"  
  
"Rubbish, we don't defend him." Paige said. "We are only realistic."  
  
Phoebe stood up furious. "Well, at least I found out about it early this time. If he's a demon or a mortal, he didn't change at all. It's always the same."  
  
"Don't you overact a little bit?" Piper tried to calm her down.  
  
"It's another breach of trust, but this time I won't let him get away with it. I'll give him a piece of my mind." She jumped up and rushed through the door.  
  
"I knew it, he only causes trouble." Paige said and looked behind Phoebe.  
  
When Cole went into his office that morning, he sat down at the desk and put out a piece of paper. He felt an urgent need to draw the strange symbol he had seen in the factory the day before. He didn't want to forget it and at the moment he still saw every detail. He started to sketch it and when he was ready, he took a close look at it. It didn't say anything to him, but he would find out more about it. He folded it up and put it into the breast pocket of his shirt. After this he started his daily work, when suddenly his office door was flung open and Phoebe rushed into the room.  
  
"Hello," he said pleased and stood up to give her a welcome kiss. But when he saw her furious expression, he stopped. "What's going on?"  
  
She shut the door and turned to him again. "I see through your little game." She explained with a smug smile.  
  
"Game? What do you mean?"  
  
"Don't act stupid. You have promised it to me, but you can't keep a promise, can you? How stupid of me to give you another chance, as if I never would learn. You didn't change at all, you only want to hurt me."  
  
"Could you please tell me, what I have allegedly done?" He wanted to come closer, but Phoebe raised her hand to stop him. "Stay where you are." She hissed.  
  
"Phoebe, I don't know ... what's the problem?"  
  
"The problem is, that you can't keep agreements. You have promised me to stop finding out something about your former life. But you didn't care a damn. You dashed off to find the first hacker, who can get into the computer system of the police." She flashed at him angrily.  
  
"Oh that!" He said in relief. "Well that's a long ..."  
  
"I don't want to hear your stupid excuses, it's over." She turned around and wanted to open the door, but Cole touched her arm to hold her back. Instinctively she felt threatened and turned around. To free herself she gave him a powerful kick and threw him through the room. Cole ended up at the bottom beside his desk and looked shocked. Phoebe stared at him horrified.  
  
"Are you crazy? Did you want to break my neck?" He tried to move his head and finally the other parts of his body. "Nothing is broken." He muttered and looked at her still surprised about her heavy attack. He couldn't understand how she could manage to throw him through half of the room. That was a slap for his self-confidence. But he didn't expect her attack, therefore he couldn't protect himself. That's the only reason, he tried to persuade himself. "Are you doing combative sport?" He asked still astonished.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe walked to him and knelt down beside Cole. She didn't want this. But she had been so furious because he wanted to hold her back by force. Well at least it seemed to her that he used force. But when she was seeing him lying there on the ground her rage went up in smoke.  
  
"Probably it was a little bit too heavy. I didn't want that." She apologized lamely. "But you wanted to hold me back by force." She tried to justify herself.  
  
"I only wanted to have a chance to explain you the whole situation." He protested and bent forward to open the drawer of his desk. He took the still closed envelope and gave it to her. "Here."  
  
"What is it?" Phoebe asked and took the envelope.  
  
"The documents about the police records."  
  
"So you really asked for it." She said disappointed and looked at the envelope. Deep down inside she had hoped that he wouldn't be guilty, but she never really believed it. She wanted to stand up, when Cole held her back carefully.  
  
"But don't beat me again." He said with an uncertain smile. Then he continued seriously. "Look at it, it isn't opened."  
  
Everybody could say that, Phoebe thought and examined the envelope. It was sealed with an adhesive tape and a sticker with the address of the sender. There was another sticker with the label of the courier service. She had to confess, that it was impossible to open it inconspicuously. Nevertheless she looked at Cole doubtfully.  
  
"Cyber seals his deliveries always very carefully." Cole told her. "I gave him the order to get these documents after you were so friendly to me in your office. You told me, that you wouldn't tell me anything, do you remember?" He saw her sceptical expression and continued. "It was before I promised you to let this matter rest. Such investigations need time." He tried to explain her. "I got the envelope on Monday. And I didn't open it, because I promised you not to do it." He withheld from her, that his feeling that she could find out about it, stopped him from opening the letter. He counted himself lucky, that he had relied on his instinct.  
  
Phoebe looked at him searching. "And that is the truth?" She was still undecided, if she should trust or mistrust him.  
  
"Yes, I have promised you and I keep my promises. Although it was very hard for me this time." He confessed.  
  
Phoebe sat onto the ground and thought if she should believe him. She looked at the envelope in her hand again and had to admit, that his explanation was convincing. "I'm sorry." She finally uttered and looked at him. "Perhaps I condemned you too fast."  
  
"Perhaps?" He looked at her surprised. "You should have given me the chance to explain it to you at least."  
  
"Yes, you are right." She confessed reluctantly. Inside her she was very happy that everything was only a misunderstanding, but nevertheless she still had little doubts.  
  
"What can I do that you'll trust me again?" He asked and watched her attentively.  
  
Phoebe shrugged hardly noticeable with her shoulders. She didn't know. She looked at him with an excusing smile, when she heard, that somebody opened the door of Cole's office.  
  
"Kevin?" They heard Peter's surprised voice. He walked into the room and saw Cole and Phoebe sitting behind the desk on the ground. "What are you doing here?" He asked astonished.  
  
"Well, can't you imagine what?" Cole answered.  
  
"Doesn't look like that!"  
  
"No? And what does it look like?"  
  
"I don't know. And finally I don't care, what you are doing there." He looked at Cole still confused. "I didn't want to disturb you, I only wanted to tell you, that Helen will come home not before Saturday."  
  
"Why Saturday?" Cole asked serious again and stood up. "Is anything wrong?"  
  
"No, they wanted to keep her in hospital for one night to be on the safe side. I'll take her home tomorrow morning. So if you want to see her ..." Peter said, but obviously he assumed that it wasn't the case.  
  
"Of course I'll come tomorrow. What kind of question is that?"  
  
"Well lately I don't know what you'll do." Peter pointed out and looked knowing at Phoebe, who was already standing.  
  
Cole walked to Peter. "What do you want to say?"  
  
"Well I didn't see you very often lately. And you have visited Helen in the hospital rarely seldom."  
  
"So what. Why do you know, how often I have visited her in the hospital, do you keep a careful account of it? Anyway, who likes visits to the hospital? That doesn't mean anything." Cole tried to justify himself.  
  
"However, I only wanted to tell you about it." Peter said and left the office in a hurry.  
  
Cole looked behind him through the closed door and said to himself. "What's wrong with him?"  
  
"I think he has the impression that I keep you away from them." Phoebe supposed and walked to Cole.  
  
"Mm, I don't think so." Peter wasn't such type of person, but Cole had to confess that he acted strange the last days. But he could care about Peter later. He turned to Phoebe with a smile and changed the subject. "So you believe me finally?"  
  
Phoebe was still holding the envelope in her hand and said. "Well it's obvious that nobody has opened it, so what can I say anymore?"  
  
"Nothing!" he answered satisfied and still happy, that he had trusted his instinct. "If it's difficult for you to trust me, I'll have to accept it. But in future you'll have to give me at least the chance to explain the whole circumstances to you, okay?"  
  
Phoebe knew, that it was her own problem, that it was still hard for her to trust him. She had to change it, she knew that. "I love you, therefore I'll trust you again, well at least I'll try it. I promise you." She told him and walked to the desk to open the drawer. She put the envelope back.  
  
Cole looked at her and said. "That isn't fair, you can take the envelope. It torments me every day again."  
  
She shook her head and said. "No, every time you would like to open it, you'll see me shake my finger in your mind's eye." She walked to him and leaned against him. He hugged her softly and she snuggled up to him. She was lucky, that she had been mistaken and she swore, that she wouldn't jump to conclusions anymore. She put her left hand onto his breast, when she suddenly got a premonition. She saw a man unconsciously lying on the ground of an empty warehouse. There was a woman beside him, who was attacked by a demon. It seemed as if the demon wanted to kill her.  
  
Cole didn't notice anything about Phoebe's premonition. Lost in thoughts he stroked her hair and was silent. When Phoebe was back in reality again, she freed from him and stepped back a few steps. She looked at him shocked. That couldn't be true, could it? Surely Cole didn't have anything to do with this, finally he wasn't a demon anymore. But Leo did say that you can't remove all doubt, when he'll get in touch with other demons again. And this could have happened easily. Therefore it hadn't been necessary for him to open the envelope. Her thoughts went head over heals.  
  
Cole looked at her in surprise. "What's up?" He wanted to walk towards her but she raised up her hand. "Don't." she muttered softly, she still needed some time to think about it. You didn't want to condemn him too fast, she implored herself. She had just decided this. Finally she had seen a complete different demon, what should Cole have to do with it? She looked over to him and recognized his offended expression, he didn't understand, what was going on. She wanted to cast her eyes down, when her view stopped at the breast pocket of his shirt. She thoughtfully turned her head and went over to him. "What do you have in your breast pocket?" she asked excited, while she didn't let it out of sight all time.  
  
"In my pocket?" He didn't understand anything anymore. He simply couldn't make this woman out. Irritated he looked at her. She stood in front of him again, reached out her hand for his pocket and took the piece of paper out of it. She unfolded it and stared at the sketched symbol. "What is it?"  
  
Why did she know, that there was the note in his pocket, he wondered and asked in return. "Do you know it? Do you know, what's the meaning of it?"  
  
Phoebe shook her head "No."  
  
"I have drawn it today, I think it could be a secret sign of this satanic group around Fleisher."  
  
"But where have you seen it?" She asked, still staring fascinated at the mysterious symbol.  
  
"In the Canterro Chemical Plant." Cole told her.  
  
She looked up surprised. "Canterro Chemical Plant? What have you done there?"  
  
"Investigations." He told her dryly. "But could you tell me, what's that supposed to be?"  
  
"I don't know yet." She looked at him begging. "But may I have this? If I find out something about it, I'll tell you." She promised him.  
  
He had sone doubts about it, but so what, he could draw a new sketch any time again. "Okay," he looked at her grinning. "And what will I get in return?"  
  
Phoebe looked back and smiled. She promised him to invite him to a very popular restaurant this evening. "Everybody is enthused about it, and I have never been there before. It's a deal?"  
  
"How could I say no." He kissed her and looked at her searching. "I love you, although you are really strange, or perhaps because you are strange."  
  
"Don't forget it." She told him and kissed him goodbye. She pressed her lips tightly on his lips, as if this kiss would wipe out all of her doubts.  
  
"You can come for me at 7 o'clock." She told him and left his office satisfied. She was happy, that all her doubts were going up in smoke. She had to believe that everything would turn out right. When she was standing in front of the building, she informed her sisters, that they had to meet at home.  
  
When she arrived at the manor she met her sisters in the living-room.  
  
"What's the problem? Cole?" Paige asked, when Phoebe entered the room.  
  
"What? No, we have cleared that up. A lot of fuss about nothing." She told them and made a dismissive gesture.  
  
"So you made it up with him again?" Paige asked surprised.  
  
"Yes, everything is alright. But we have other problems, I got a premonition." She told her sisters, what she had seen. Then she took out the piece of paper with the sketch of the sign. "I think this is the reason for my premonition." She explained and gave them the paper.  
  
"What's that supposed to be?"  
  
"Cole thinks that it's a secret sign of this satanic group. He had seen it in the Canterro Chemical Plant."  
  
"Mm, that doesn't mean a thing to me," Paige said. "But perhaps there is something written about it in the Book of Shadows."  
  
"Year, that's possible," Phoebe replied. "But I think we'll have to rescue the woman first. I mean, the warehouse was empty, but there was still daylight shining into the room."  
  
"We can try to use the pendulum." Piper supposed and took the utensils. Not surprisingly the pendulum stopped at the Deacon Arm Factory.  
  
"So it's obvious that this sign could have something to do with this clique." Piper said. "I think we should call Leo, so he can take a look at it."  
  
While Phoebe was looking for the demon in the Book of Shadows, Piper called her husband and showed him the sign.  
  
"Mm, that is a demonic fraternization symbol. This sign should show that one group identifies to the aims and ideals of another group. In our case it's probably the bond between the underworld and the people with this symbol."  
  
"But what do they get out of it?" Paige asked.  
  
"I think that the demons promised them to do everything, that helps them to reach their goals and to make their wishes come true. In return for it the mortals agree to do everything they can do to disseminate evil in the world."  
  
"Sounds plausible." Piper thought and turned to Phoebe, who was still leafing through the book. "Have you already found anything?"  
  
"No," Phoebe said but stopped immediately. "Stop, it could be this one."  
  
Piper stepped beside her and looked into the book, too. "Kantos," she read. "Transformation demon, works mostly as a commissioned killer."  
  
"And how can we vanquish him?" Paige asked.  
  
"With a spell, but we can also put him out of action for a while with a thrust in his back." Phoebe said and told them. "The spell will be ready immediately."  
  
"Okay." Piper turned to Leo. "You could try to find out, if they know something about this special sign. And we'll rescue this woman." Leo agreed and disappeared.  
  
After Phoebe had finished the spell, they set off. When they arrived at the warehouse, it was still empty. It seemed as if it wasn't in use anymore.  
  
"Perhaps this is the warehouse, where Janny Aroso had seen the demon." Phoebe supposed. She saw a metal stairs at the side of the hall and went upstairs to watch through a big window onto the factory site. She saw a shelter not far away and countless pieces of metal were lying under it. "It seems as if I'm right." She said and wanted to go downstairs, when she saw a couple coming up to the warehouse. She turned to her sisters and told them. "I think we'll have visitors soon."  
  
"What do you mean?" Both looked at her. "Demons?" Paige asked irritated.  
  
"No, a man and a woman, they are coming directly up to this hall. Is there a place to hide anywhere?" Phoebe asked while she went downstairs quickly.  
  
They looked around and found some boxes at the edge of the warehouse. They walked to them and squatted down behind them. "Well, I have my doubts, that they won't see us." Piper said and looked through a gap between the boxes.  
  
"If they see us, I'll be able to orb us away." Paige explained confidently.  
  
A little later the door at the other side of the warehouse was opened and a couple entered it.  
  
"Why do you drag me into this warehouse?" The woman scolded and tried to free herself of the man's clinch.  
  
"Be sensible and listen to me." The man let her go and she went away immediately. "Everything went wrong and we have to be careful."  
  
"We?" The woman laughed dryly. "I never got involved with demons. And I won't allow you to ruin my life."  
  
"But you have to understand me. They want to hurt you to put me under pressure." The man moaned. "We have to be careful."  
  
"You should never have get in with them. And you should have prevent them to do that with Samuels."  
  
"That was an accident, I didn't want it, you have to believe me."  
  
"I don't have to do anything. I have enough of that. You have to sort it out, otherwise I want a divorce. I'll go to my sister. You won't send me to a so-called safe place and only you know where it is. Never!" She hissed at him.  
  
"Monica, please believe me, I don't want that anything will happen to you. I'll stop this as soon as possible, I promise you. But it's impossible to do it immediately." He walked to her.  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
While the sisters looked through the gap between the boxes and listened the marriage drama, they suddenly noticed that the air was shimmering and Kantos appeared. They jumped up from behind the boxes like a flash and rushed to him. Meanwhile the demon shook the man with a short gesture and he felt unconscious on the ground.  
  
The woman started to scream and raised her hands in defense. Paige threw the knife into the direction of the demon, but it missed him. But now he turned his attention to the witches. Phoebe gave him a hard kick and he felt against the wall. When he stood up again he angrily threw an energy ball at Piper, but she turned aside and it exploded at the metal stairs. Phoebe dived for the knife, which was still lying on the ground. She got it, but before she could threw it at Kantos again the demon transformed into the woman. Phoebe stopped for a while, but then she threw it at him, but again he got out of the way.  
  
"Paige you should orb the real woman into the back of the room, otherwise we could hurt her mistakenly." Piper told her sister. Paige nodded and took the hand of the frightened woman to orb her behind the boxes. After it she ran back to her sisters, who were still fighting with Kantos. He was still able to defend himself. Paige called for the knife and when she got it, she waited until the demon was diverted from her sisters. He didn't notice, that she was behind him and she plunged him the knife into his back.  
  
When Kantos was out of action for a while, Paige rushed to her sister. Phoebe took out the spell and they read it together. The demon looked at them horrified and blew up.  
  
"That's it!" Phoebe said in relief.  
  
After it, they went to the woman, who was still sitting in the edge. She looked at them frightend.  
  
"Are you alright?" Piper asked her carefully.  
  
She nodded. "I'm okay." She said slowly, although she was still shaking. She stood up and looked to the other side of the hall. "What happened to Michael?" She asked.  
  
"I think he's alright." Piper said.  
  
"Are you sure, that there's nothing wrong with him?" The woman asked again and walked to her husband. She kneeled down beside him.  
  
Piper let herself down, too and felt his pulse. "He is only unconscious. The demon didn't want to kill him, but you."  
  
The woman nodded and looked at the sisters frightened. "And what happened to this demon?"  
  
"He is dead!" Paige told her. "You don't have to worry about it anymore."  
  
She laughed sadly. "I suppose that there are more of them. So Michael was right."  
  
"We can protect you." Phoebe expressed and looked at her sisters. They agreed. "We'll be able to take you with us, if you want. The demons won't find you there."  
  
The woman nodded, but it seemed as if she didn't want to leave her husband. "And what will happen to Michael? Will the demons attack him again?"  
  
"They wanted to attack you." Piper explained again. "They want him alive."  
  
The woman sighed "I think you are right." She got up and said. "Let's go."  
  
Paige laughed. "Well, I won't call it going." She said. "Give me your hand."  
  
Some time later they were sitting in the living-room of the Halliwell Manor and the woman told them her story. Her name was Monica Deacon and she was the wife of Michael Deacon. They had already met in High-School. Michael had been one of the most popular pupils and Monica had been overjoyed, when he had chosen her as his girlfriend. In those days he had taken it easy, he had organized parties, had had his fun and had enjoyed his life. He wasn't interested in school or his marks, he told her that he was rich, so why shouldn't he enjoy his life. Monica had always criticized him and told him to change his opinion. She was blissful, when he started to change his look at things while he studied at university. He knew what he was aiming for, wanted to finish university with the best marks and had told her, that he wanted to make the family company more successful.  
  
Monica groaned. "I was thrilled, now I had a boyfriend not only good- looking and very popular but also successful, what more could I want? Every girl was envious." She looked at the sisters and waited for confirmation, but they only smiled friendly. So she continued. "Well, but there was a catch to it, I didn't like his new friends. They didn't suit to him well. Harold Fleisher was a plump, slimy Idiot and Jared Canterro was crafty and his family was badly-off. You know, Michael's father had financed Jared while he studied. We already knew Jared from High-School, but nobody liked him. Not because his family was poor, but because he was nasty and crafty. But Michael cared about him, I never understood why. I mean, otherwise he never cared about such people." She shrugged her shoulders. "Michael's father is a very good-natured person, too good I would say, for example he ran his company too lax. But it doesn't matter now, he financed Jared's studies and Jared and Michael became close friends at university." She shook her head. "I have always told him, that he should stay away from Jared, but Michael didn't want to listen. He thought that Jared was responsible for his success. So what could I say against it?" She looked at the sisters asking.  
  
"They have made a deal with demons." Paige explained dryly.  
  
Monica looked at her. "Yes, today I know it. But at that time I didn't know it. And I'm convinced that everything came from Jared." She looked morose. "Probably it was wrong that I have tried to change Michael. Today I would give everything, if I could have him as he was before. This demons only cause trouble. And now they're threatening us."  
  
"When did you find out about the demons?" Piper asked, when Monica was silent for a while.  
  
"A few years ago. In the beginning I was shocked, but then Michael explained me everything and I thought about it. I realized that it wasn't so bad. I mean, we were rich and successful and in return we only had to run the arm factory as successful as possible. We had to boost the sales, that wasn't a bad business." She tried to defend herself.  
  
"To make a deal with the underworld is always bad and wrong." Piper pointed out.  
  
"Yes perhaps, but in the beginning I accepted it. But then everything went off course. And I didn't want to let Michael down. The demons didn't trust Fleisher, the Canterros and him anymore. Michael is afraid that Canterro and his wife have done something to cheat the demons. And we all have to pay for it." She sighed. "And then Michael's employee Adam Samuels found out something about the demons and he wanted to tell it Michael's father. The old Mr. Deacon would have got a heart attack." She said indignant. "So Michael asked his friends to care about it without killing Samuels. But despite his request they killed him. And Michael thinks that they did it intentionally to show him, who has the control. And since that day he is a haunted man."  
  
"And he is right, finally the demon wanted to kill you." Phoebe thought. "But what do they want of Michael?"  
  
Monica shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know and I think Michael doesn't know, too. As I already told you, he thinks that the Canterros are behind it, but they didn't let him into their secret. And now Fleisher vanished, too and the demons think that he had betrayed them."  
  
"Do you think the Canterros have changed the sides?" Paige asked thoughtfully.  
  
Monica laughed dryly. "Never, I suppose they want to enter into competition with them."  
  
"In any case we have to bring you to a safe place." Piper decided and called her husband. He appeared immediately and after all what happened this day, Monica didn't care about his strange appearance. She groaned again "I think I have to separate from Michael at the moment. Everything is too much for me."  
  
"If you want to stay alive, you'll have to hide at the moment." Paige told her. "We'll take care about it."  
  
After Leo and Monica left the Manor, Paige sat down at a chair. "Rather naive, the good woman."  
  
"You can say that again." Phoebe agreed and sat down, too. "And what are we doing now?"  
  
"What can we do?" Piper said. "We can only wait. But perhaps we should care about this Canterros."  
  
"Good idea." Phoebe told her. "I'll meet Cole tonight, then I'll ask him, what he knows about the Canterro Chemical plant."  
  
"Why had he been there?" Paige wondered.  
  
"I think he believes that they have something to do with the shots at Helen." Phoebe explained.  
  
"Wonderful and determined he runs up to demons again." Piper replied dryly and looked at her watch. "But today I won't care about it anymore. I'll have to go to the P3 soon. We'll think about it tomorrow."  
  
"Good idea, I have other plans for tonight, too." Paige said and stretched herself out on the sofa.  
  
"You already want to go to the P3?" Phoebe asked surprised. "What time is it."  
  
After Piper told her the time, Phoebe jumped up. "Damn it," she told her sisters. "I wanted to save a seat at the new restaurant."  
  
"Well, now it's too late, they only accept bookings until 6 o'clock." Paige informed her. "You'll have to go somewhere else, or you have to wait until midnight."  
  
"So what, then we'll wait. It won't take so long." Phoebe said optimistically and went upstairs. 


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27  
  
When Cole was ringing at the door bell, Phoebe's sisters had already left the Manor. Phoebe opened the door and let him in. She took her pocket and they set off. In his car she told him, that she had forgotten to reserve a table at the restaurant.  
  
"I don't mind, if we don't go there." Cole told her, but Phoebe decided that they would try to get a table at least .  
  
When they arrived in front of the restaurant, they already heard that it was completely filled. But that didn't disturb Phoebe and they entered the anteroom. The room was painted in dark subdued colors and on the left there was a bar. A lot of people were already waiting there for the admission to the restaurant. On the other side was the entrance to the restaurant. A man was standing in front of it and held a book in his hand. Phoebe walked to him without hesitation and told him with her friendliest smile that she had forgotten to make a booking.  
  
"You have to reserve a table on Friday evening." The man told her with an arrogant smile.  
  
Phoebe looked into the hall and could see some empty tables. "But it doesn't look like that." She explained.  
  
"Far from it!" The man told her and blocked her view. "Well, I don't really know, if I can do anything for you." He looked at them disapproving, as if they wouldn't suit into his restaurant.  
  
"What are you getting at?" Cole asked and walked a few steps closer.  
  
Phoebe touched his arm and said placating. "We'll wait until you have a seat for us."  
  
"Don't bee too hopeful. But if you want it, I'll make a note of it." He said and looked into his book.  
  
"Well I have my doubts about it." Cole said when he walked to the bar together with Phoebe. "I don't mind, if we go to another restaurant. This complacent idiot will never let us in his restaurant."  
  
Phoebe saw a place at the bar and sat down. "Let us wait for a while, there really weren't a lot of people in the hall. There are much more at the bar. And if there are too less customers in the restaurant, he'll let us in."  
  
Cole sat down beside her and they ordered drinks. "Mm," Cole started to look around. "And what is so special about this restaurant?"  
  
"I don't know, it is in. Everybody says that you should have been here."  
  
"Well it can't be the fixtures." He took the menu and examined it. "And the dishes aren't very inventive, too."  
  
"Let's wait and see." Phoebe replied and took the menu out of his hands to take a look at it. She had decided to go to this restaurant tonight and nothing would stop her so easily.  
  
Cole watched the man at the admission for a while, but then he turned to Phoebe. "Have you found out anything about the symbol?"  
  
"What? Oh no, I'm sorry, not yet." She answered vaguely. While she was stirring in her drink. "But could you tell me, what you know about the Canterro Chemical Plant?"  
  
Cole had to laugh and shook his head. "You are really good in it, you know." He looked at her fascinated. "You always evade my questions and in return you ask me your questions."  
  
She looked up and said offended. "That's not true. But I'm really interested in it."  
  
"Why are you interested in the Canterros?"  
  
"Well, now you answered my question with another question. I'm sorry, you're first."  
  
"Okay, finally I don't know anything."  
  
She looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"No, really. I took part at a guided tour through the factory." He didn't know, if he should tell her anything about the secret documents. He thought about it for a moment, perhaps she would become more communicative, although it hasn't worked yet. "And then I found some documents by chance. But up to now, I don't know what to do with it."  
  
"Secret documents." She asked excited.  
  
"Yes, I think so. Research reports and blueprints. But I haven't taken a close look at them yet."  
  
"But how did you get them into your hands?"  
  
He shook his head smirking. "I can't tell you everything."  
  
"Okay, but could I take a look at them?" She looked at him begging. Perhaps she would get some information, which could help them further.  
  
"Well Trisha Raymond has the research reports."  
  
"Trisha Raymond?" She looked at him surprised. What has he to do with her, she wondered.  
  
"Yes she is chemist and will examine them. And I have the blueprints in my office."  
  
"Are they safe there?"  
  
"Of course. And who should be interested in it?" He wondered. "And finally nobody knows, that I have them, only you." He looked at her conspiring.  
  
"And I won't tell anybody, I promise." She said and smiled at him. Obviously he had no idea, with whom he could get in trouble.  
  
"Do we really want to wait?" Cole changed the subject.  
  
Phoebe nodded and looked around. There weren't a lot of people in the anteroom anymore, while the restaurant was full of people.  
  
One hour later, they were still waiting for the admittance to the restaurant. Cole watched costumers leaving the restaurant and new costumers getting a table. Finally he was getting fed up with this. "Have you seen it?" He asked Phoebe and showed her a couple, that the unpleasant man at the admittance led into the hall. "We already waited for ages, and this couple came later, but nevertheless he had favored them." He said excited.  
  
"Probably they had a booking."  
  
"Rubbish, they waited with us half an hour and either they have bribed the man, or the idiot has got something against us. And I strongly suppose that." He told her knowing.  
  
Unfortunately Phoebe had to agree. "I think you are right, this slimy idiot will never let us in the restaurant. And it isn't that great here. A lot of people leave it very fast." She looked at the clock over the bar and said. "I'll give him time until we have drunken our drinks, otherwise we'll go."  
  
Cole still watched into the direction of the restaurant angrily. Finally he had to grin. "You know, sometimes I wish I would be able to use such a stranglehold, then I would only have to raise my hand and everybody would do, what I want." He raised his hand to demonstrate it. Phoebe looked at it in worry, but Cole didn't notice her look, because he was still looking to the man furiously. "I would use it and this idiot would have to lead us to his best table immediately and he would have to be polite." He looked at Phoebe with a satisfied smile and finally noticed her horrified expression. "Hey, what's going on?" He asked, but when she didn't say a word, he continued. "It was only a joke, nobody is able to do it, only in movies."  
  
"But you wish you could do it?" She asked carefully.  
  
"What? That I would have the power to have my way?"  
  
"Yes, more or less." She said seriously and looked at him searching.  
  
Cole noticed her look and to be on the safe side he said. "No, of course not." Although this impression had it's fascination for him. But he didn't want to have an argument about this unrealistic fantasy with Phoebe.  
  
Phoebe was silent for a while, probably it was only a joke, she thought. But nevertheless she had to ask. "Paige told me, that you had had a nightmare about a monster."  
  
"What?" He looked at her astonished. This sisters really talked about strange subjects, he thought, as if they wouldn't have more interesting topics, than the monster dreams of Phoebe's crazy ex-husband.  
  
"Do you have it more often?" Phoebe asked carefully.  
  
"No. Why? What makes you think that?" This was really irritating for him. "What is that suppose to mean? Do you know this Belthazor monster, too?" He asked amused.  
  
"No, forget it!"  
  
"Forget it? You asked a question about an absolutely crazy dream, which has no meaning for me. But it seems it has a meaning to you."  
  
"Nonsense, it has no meaning. I'm sorry, that I started with it."  
  
He looked at her still confused. Why did Phoebe care about his silly nightmare about a red bald monster looking like a catcher? But the worst was, that he also knew, that this dream wasn't as meaningless as he wanted to believe. He had felt that it wasn't a simple nightmare and Phoebe had confirmed this feeling. But it could only be a dream, nothing more, he tried to convince himself. He continued to watch the man at the entrance, who let another couple in the restaurant again.  
  
Phoebe watched it, too. Finally she could understand Cole, she wouldn't mind, if the snobbish man had to be very polite to her. She groaned "You are right, he has something against us. He'll keep us waiting to the end of time."  
  
Cole looked to the exit and saw a group of four people leaving the restaurant. "I think soon he won't have any choice, if he doesn't want to have an empty restaurant. Much more costumers are leaving it than entering it. So he'll have to let us in. The problem is, I don't want anymore."  
  
"Yes, and I've lost my appetite." Phoebe laughed, when she heard a ringing out of her pocket. She took the phone and listened to an excited Piper, who ordered her to come to the P3 immediately, they had problems.  
  
Excusing Phoebe looked at Cole. "That was Piper." She told him. "She told me, that I'll have to come, we have some problems. I'm really sorry Cole, the whole evening was a mess. I'll make up for it tomorrow."  
  
Cole noticed, that she was really sorry and shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay, but could you wait five minutes? I bet the guy will let us in. And I would like to tell him, no thanks, we have better plans for tonight."  
  
Phoebe laughed. "Okay, I don't want to miss it."  
  
As Cole had predicted, a few minutes later the man beckoned them to come. Smiling they walked towards him and told him arrogantly, that they won't have time anymore. They left the restaurant laughing and a very angry man looked behind them.  
  
In front of the restaurant Phoebe asked again. "And you aren't angry?"  
  
"That I don't go into this damn restaurant? No! But that you have to go? Of course."  
  
She took his hand and they walked to his car. "We'll meet tomorrow and I'll invite you into a better restaurant." She told him.  
  
Cole took her to the Manor and when she got out of the car, she waited, until she couldn't see him anymore. Then she got into her car and drove to the P3.  
  
When she arrived there, she met a distracted Piper. She was sitting in a room in the back of the club together with Leo. They still waited for Paige, and when she arrived, Piper started to tell. Michael Deacon had paid her a visit. He had been very excited and had asked her about his wife. "He was undecided if we had killed her or if we had kidnapped her."  
  
"But what made him think of us?" Phoebe asked surprised.  
  
"Well you don't already know worst of all. He has a monitoring system in every warehouse. And that means, he has filmed us. Unfortunately he and his wife are costumers of my club often. Therefore he recognized me."  
  
"Though luck!" Phoebe said. "That is the disadvantages of fame."  
  
"The awful thing about it is, that he has shootings, that show how Paige plunges a knife into the back of his wife."  
  
"No!" Paige said horrified. "I can't believe it."  
  
"But unfortunately it's the truth. I have tried to calm him down. I have told him, that his woman is alright, that we only got her out of harm's way. But he didn't want to listen. He wants his wife back, otherwise he'll pass pictures on to the press."  
  
"Why doesn't he choose the police?" Paige asked sneering. "Then I would go to prison tomorrow."  
  
"He also doesn't want to involve the police. But he was serious about the press. We'll have time until tomorrow morning."  
  
"Police or press, it comes down to the same thing." Phoebe said.  
  
Piper shrugged her shoulders. "He was too excited to understand it, when I pointed it out. He didn't listen to me. So I don't hold out much hope, that he'll come to this conclusion and stop it." She said gloomy.  
  
"Well, he should talk to his wife." Paige turned to Leo. "Can you arrange it?" She asked him.  
  
Leo thought about it and said. "I'll ask her, perhaps she'll be able to bring him to his senses." He orbed away and the sisters went into the club. They found an empty place, where they could sit down undisturbed.  
  
15 minutes later Leo arrived back and walked to them with an excusing smile.  
  
"What's the matter?" Piper asked and was prepared for the worst.  
  
"She doesn't want to talk to him. She thinks it's too dangerous for her. The demons would get onto her, if she met Michael."  
  
"This ungrateful beast, we safed her life and she doesn't want to talk to her damn husband." Paige grumbled.  
  
"And what should we do in her opinion?" Phoebe asked angrily.  
  
"She told me, that he has disks with the recordings of the monitoring system. They were lying in the safe in his office. You can take and destroy them, she suggested. Unfortunately she doesn't know the code, but I think it won't be a problem for Paige."  
  
"Doesn't he have copies or is anything stored on the hard disc?" Piper asked suspiciously.  
  
"Monica told me, that her husband is convinced that copies aren't necessary, because his safe is the safetiest safe in the world." Leo told them with an excusing smile. "And he immediately deletes everything from the hard disc irrevocable, because he is afraid that somebody in the company could find out something. The only problem is a gossip journalist of the Daylight Express, her name is Kate Ferrucci. Michael always sends her current photos and reports about his wife and him. Sometimes she published them in the paper. Monica supposed, that it could be possible that Michael was so furious at you, that he had already sent her an e-mail with some photos."  
  
"No, I don't think so, finally he gave us time until tomorrow morning." Piper pointed out.  
  
"Well, nevertheless you can check it, when you'll be there. His pass word is Sunny, he likes to call his wife this way."  
  
"Very interesting." Paige said sarcastically.  
  
"And if there are other recordings or if anything goes wrong?" Piper asked angrily.  
  
Leo looked at them doubting. "That mustn't happen. Because I don't know, if I can persuade her to talk to her husband. She is too afraid that the demons could attack her again. And I can't force her."  
  
"Wonderful!" Paige said. "Okay, we have no choice. We'll have to spend a nice Friday night cracking a safe."  
  
They left the club and Paige orbed them into the office of Michael Deacon.  
  
It was pitch dark, when they arrived. The office was in the middle of the building and had no windows.  
  
"Strange guy." Paige said. "If I was the boss here, I wouldn't choose such an awful office without windows." She looked around and saw a picture at the left wall, Leo had described them. Piper took it carefully and saw the safe at the wall.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe went to the computer and switched it on. "But the office chair is the very best." She told Paige and leaned back.  
  
Meanwhile Paige had asked for the safe door and held it in her hands. Piper looked into the safe and found countless CD's. "But how can we know, if this are the recordings of the monitoring system?" Piper asked and looked at the label. "Oh, great, he had signed it. Look, there."  
  
Paige looked over her shoulder and read. "Sunny's kidnapping, wonderful." She looked into the safe again and said. "But I think we should take all of them, you can never know." She stuffed all disks into her pocket and examined the safe for the last time. There were just some money and some files in the safe, but they weren't interested in it.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe looked at the e-mails of Michael Deacon. "Oh no!" She let out. "He had already sent the e-mail. With pictures." She tried to open it, but it was impossible. The program couldn't find it anymore. Deacon had deleted them irrevocable.  
  
"What will we do now?" She looked at the e-mail address. "Kate Ferrucci." She read. "I think we'll have to intercept this e-mail." She looked at her watch. "He has sent it this evening, and she won't have read it until now. I don't think that she is working so long on Friday." She looked at her sisters. "Well, I hope so."  
  
Paige orbed them into Cole's office at the Daylight Express and they started to search for Kate Ferrucci's office. Only Phoebe waited until her sisters had left the office. Then she opened the drawer of the desk to see, if the closed envelope was still lying there. When she saw it, she stood up satisfied and followed her sisters.  
  
It was quite dark in the building and only the emergency lighting illuminated the corridors. The sisters searched at the nameplates for the name of Kate Ferrucci. After they avoided a watchman, they found the office two floors deeper. They entered the room and switched on the computer. They saw Kate Ferrucci's name and a number. But then the program asked for the pass word.  
  
"Damn it." Paige said and pushed 'enter' but nothing happened, she could only read, that this was the wrong pass word. "How can we find out this stupid pass word? Do you have any idea, or do we have a little spell for this?"  
  
"I don't think so." Piper said and turned to Phoebe. "Do you think Cole could help us?"  
  
"Do you think he knows her pass word?" She wasn't very impressed about the imagination Cole knew the pass word of Kate Ferrucci. She watched at the photos standing on the desk showing Kate Ferrucci smiling into the camera with bleeding white teeth and some public figures beside her.  
  
"Perhaps they have a general pass word here, or something like that. Could you call him and ask him about it?"  
  
Phoebe looked at Piper sceptically. "Well I think that's too obvious." She said and smiled satisfied. "I think I've a better idea. I'll go to him and ask him unobtrusively about it. And then I'll call you and you can go here again and check it. Okay?"  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders and switched off the computer. "Okay, I haven't a better idea at the moment" 


	28. Chapter 28

Thanks for your reviews!!! Well I can update quite often, because I just have to translate the chapters. But of course some chapters are more difficult than others. .  
  
Chapter 28  
  
Paige orbed them near the building with Cole's apartment. "And when shall I take you home?" Paige asked with a nasty smile. "After we deleted the e- mail?"  
  
"I think I'll find a way to come home without your help. For what do we have taxis?" Phoebe told her sisters and watched them disappearing. Then she turned around and entered the building. When she was standing in front of Cole's apartment, she rang at the door and waited, she hoped that he would be at home.  
  
After Cole had taken Phoebe home, he didn't want to go anywhere else. He went home and switched on the TV. He was watching a boring movie, but nevertheless he didn't want to visit Peter. Cole still had enough of his bad mood this morning. When it was ringing at the door at half past eleven, he looked at his watch and wondered, who it could be. He jumped up and opened the door.  
  
"Phoebe" he said surprised, but more than lucky. "I didn't expect you again." Lucky he pulled her into the apartment and started to kiss her. "Well it's too late for diner now." He stated.  
  
Phoebe returned his kisses and nearly forgot, why she had come. Carefully she freed from him. "Wait," she said smiling "I'm still hungry." She walked into the kitchen and looked around. "Do you have anything to eat?"  
  
"Do you really want to eat anything?" He asked and followed her into the kitchen. "Well, you wanted to invite me for diner, so I don't have anything here. Only some dishes for the microwave or chips." He showed her a plastic bag with chips.  
  
"That's okay, for the beginning." Phoebe took the chips and walked to a chair in front of the TV. She sat down and waited for Cole. He sat down in a chair opposite to her. Phoebe decided that she had to solve the problem with the pass word first, before she could start to think about something else.  
  
"Have you already solved your problems?" Cole asked, still a little bit surprised about her sudden appearance.  
  
"Nearly, it wasn't so tragical." She searched for a way to ask him about the pass word, but decided not to beat around the bush. "Tell me, do you have pass words for the computer to log in at your paper?" She asked frankly.  
  
"What?" He looked at her astonished.  
  
"Well at the Mirror we know the pass words of our colleagues. Because if somebody is ill, we have to get his notes for important articles and so on. Some employees don't like that, because they think everybody could read their secret notes. But please, which secret notes?" She looked at him expectantly.  
  
Cole smiled and said dryly. "I think you should tell me, what you really want to know. It must be rather important, when you have to pass by that late."  
  
"You don't have to think that I'm only coming for this." She looked at him outraged. "I only wanted to combine business with pleasure." She smiled satisfied.  
  
"And what is business?"  
  
"Do you know Kate Ferrucci?" Phoebe asked.  
  
He shook his head. "No, should I?"  
  
"She is working for the Daylight Express and writes articles about society gossip."  
  
Cole looked at her thoughtfully and said in excuse. "I'm not so long here. I don't know every employee of the paper."  
  
"Okay, well such a stupid idiot had sent her compromising photos about my sister Paige. And I want to get them back."  
  
"You want to intercept the letter?"  
  
"No, to delete the e-mail. And therefore I need the pass word. So do you know it by chance?"  
  
"What kind of photos has he sent her?" Cole asked her interested. "She doesn't seem to me like a woman who feels that awful about this kind of photos, that she wants to break into the paper for it."  
  
Phoebe threw a chip at him and said. "Well you don't know her very well. And that isn't the point. Can you tell me the pass word or not?"  
  
He thought about it for a while. "Mm, when we started to work here, they had just changed the system and we all had the same pass word. Most of us have already changed it, no matter if somebody asked us to do it or not." He pointed out. "But we could try, perhaps we are lucky and this Kate Ferrucci belongs to that kind of people, who wait until somebody ask them to do it." He jumped up and took his keys. "Okay, let's go."  
  
Phoebe looked up astonished. "What?"  
  
"Well, you probably came here, because you wanted me to get you into the paper."  
  
"No, really not." Phoebe saw, that he didn't believe a word.  
  
"And how will Paige get into the building? She won't pass our porter even with the best powers of persuasion." He told her absolutely convinced about it.  
  
"Well you shouldn't underestimate her."  
  
"Believe me, she doesn't have to try it, this guy won't give in. He works- to-rule. So come on." He reached out for her.  
  
Phoebe stoop up and walked to him. How should she explain him, that Paige wouldn't have any problems to pass the porter? So why should she go with him? Nothing could get wrong. She only had to inform her sisters, otherwise Paige could appear at the paper in an inconvenient moment. "I only have to tell Paige about it." She told Cole.  
  
"Does she want to come with us?" Cole asked, not very enthusiastic about this.  
  
Phoebe laughed. "No, don't worry." She looked at him. "But who knows, you could get some credit points for helping her."  
  
"My greatest aim." Cole muttered, while Phoebe took her phone and called her sister.  
  
"Paige, it's me, everything is alright. I'll go to the paper together with Cole." She told her.  
  
"Together with Cole? Why?" Phoebe heard the irritated voice of her sister.  
  
"It'll work out alright, you only have to wait at home for me." She warned Paige and ended the call, before she could say something else. Phoebe turned to Cole. "Okay, let's go."  
  
When Cole and Phoebe entered the building of the Daylight Express it was deserted at this time of the day. They walked into the entrance area, where a very correct looking porter already waited for them. He watched the entrance attentively and nothing, no TV no other things disturbed his work. "Good evening. It's very late to go to work." He told them mistrusting.  
  
"Good evening, well, you probably know, how it is. I've forgotten some very important documents in my office." Cole told him and gave him his card.  
  
"No!" The man replied disapproving and expressed, that things like that couldn't happen to him. He examined Cole's card and when he didn't find anything to object to, he finally made a note. Then he gave the card back to Cole and turned to Phoebe. "And your card?" He looked at her expecting.  
  
"She is my guest. She doesn't work here." Cole told him already angrily.  
  
"Nevertheless I need your personal data, especially at this time. Rules are rules."  
  
"No problem." Phoebe told him her name and he had to pass them by reluctantly.  
  
"I hope you'll find what you are searching for." He yelled after them.  
  
"Goodness!" Phoebe said. "We should hurry, he probably stops the time, we are in here with a stop watch."  
  
Cole made a disparaging gesture. "Don't worry, nobody cares about his notes. He likes to think he is important, he needs it obviously. But his notes gather dust and nobody ever takes a look at them."  
  
"But you know, what he thinks we want to do here?" Phoebe pointed out amused.  
  
"Well, as if we wouldn't have a better place."  
  
"Probably it turns on some people ." Phoebe laughed and they went into the elevator.  
  
Cole pushed the button for the 8th floor and asked her interested. "And would it turn on you?"  
  
"I don't know, perhaps." She grinned. "But at the moment, I'm only interested in this damn e-mail."  
  
"Well that's a pity. And I can't change your mind?"  
  
Phoebe didn't have to answer, because they arrived at the 8th floor. They went into Cole's office and he switched on his computer. He wanted to finish this soon, but when he looked at the display, he let out a disappointed sound.  
  
"What's the problem." Phoebe asked and stepped beside him, to look at the display.  
  
"Everybody here has a personnel number. You need the name, the personnel number and the pass word to enter the program. And I have absolutely no idea, which number this woman has."  
  
"Is it a secret number?" Phoebe asked and remembered, that she had seen a number, when Paige had switched on Kate Ferrucci's computer.  
  
"No," Cole told her. "But I don't know, where you can find this numbers." He looked at her apologizing.  
  
"Mm," Phoebe thought, how she could tell him this unobtrusively. "Perhaps the number appears automatically, when you switch on the computer. Your name and number were also there."  
  
"Yes, of course. They are saved from the last time. So we only have to find her office and then we have to hope, that she was the last person working at the computer." He jumped up and switched off the computer. "If I only knew, where her office would be. I don't want to run into the watchmen, while we were searching for it."  
  
Phoebe looked at him uncertain. "Well, to be honest, we already know it. Her office has the number 612."  
  
He looked at her admiring. "I better won't ask you, why you know it." He said and smiled. "612, that's the 6th floor. I think we should take the stairs."  
  
They walked along the corridor through a hidden door to the staircase. It was lighted up poorly and they could just see the steps. They walked downstairs carefully. When they arrived at the 6th floor, Cole opened the door and looked around the corner. He couldn't see anybody and they entered the dimly-lit corridor. Phoebe tried not to show Cole the right office involuntary, so she stayed behind him.  
  
When they finally found Kate Ferrucci's office, they slipped into it. The lights from outside the building were shining into the room, so it wasn't necessary to switch on the light. Cole went to the desk and switched on the computer. He sat down and when he saw the display, he looked up at Phoebe and said impressed. "You were right, here is her personnel number. And hopefully she still has the old pass word." He typed in the word.  
  
Phoebe walked beside him and looked over his shoulder. She prayed that it would be the right word. To her relief it was, the program started to load. The pass word was accepted.  
  
"That was luck!" Cole said happily and looked at Phoebe. Her face beamed on him in the twilight. She kissed him on his check.  
  
"Thanks! But now you can go to the door and observe the corridor." She ordered him and tried to push him away.  
  
He stood up grumbling and walked to the door. "I think, when I already help you, you could show me the pictures at least ."  
  
"Never!" Phoebe said and opened the mailing box, while Cole sat down on a table beside the door. From this place he had a good view to the corridor.  
  
He looked at it bored. "Will it take a long time?"  
  
"Don't be so impatient." Phoebe told him, while she looked at the incoming e-mails.  
  
"Well, you won't loose your job, if the watchmen catch us." He told her, intentionally with a serious voice.  
  
"Oh, don't be melodramatic, I'll be ready soon." She had just found the e- mail and deleted it. Then she deleted it a second time.  
  
Meanwhile Cole was still bored and looked at the corridor, when he finally noticed a beam of a flashlight, not far away. "Oh no, there is somebody coming." He jumped from the table and dived behind the desk beside Phoebe. She switched off the monitor. They crouched down and listened the slow steps passing by Kate Ferrucci's office. The beam of flashlight shone into the office for a while, but the watchman didn't stop. The light and the man disappeared again.  
  
"And all of that, without knowing, what kind of photos that are." Cole whispered.  
  
"I'm sorry, but you are too late. I have already deleted them." She switched on the monitor again.  
  
Cole examined the mailing list of Kate Ferrucci. "Oh, she really gets a lot of e-mails, are you sure, that she would have noticed yours?"  
  
Phoebe shrugged her shoulders. "Better safe than sorry." She said. "Does she have other possibilities to find the deleted e-mails?" She asked.  
  
Cole looked at the display and at the programs. "No, she doesn't have a special security program. No wonder, otherwise her hard disc would overflow with e-mails."  
  
Phoebe switched off the computer and they left the office carefully. Cole insisted on going back to the 8th floor, because he supposed that the porter would watch the elevator.  
  
When they were back on the 8th floor, Phoebe said. "When we are already here, you could show me this documents about the Canterro Plant."  
  
"If I knew, that you are interested in something else, I would agree, but otherwise ..." Cole shook his head. "Better not, otherwise the porter could think that we have orgies."  
  
Phoebe had to laugh and they walked to the elevator. "How do you want to know, that something else won't interest me more? But okay, finally I don't want to damage your reputation."  
  
"Thanks for your consideration."  
  
When they arrived at the ground floor, the porter already watched them disapproving. "I hope you have found what you were looking for."  
  
"Yes we have." Phoebe told him friendly. "Have a nice night." She wished to him and they left the building.  
  
"Could you take me home? Then I can tell Paige that everything is alright." Phoebe asked Cole, when they were sitting in his car again.  
  
"You want to go home?" He replied disappointed. "And that after all risks I have taken to safe the reputation of your sister?"  
  
She looked in his direction and finally said determined. "You can come with me." It was time that her sisters and he would get along together again and at least would remain neutral to each other.  
  
"Okay, if you think so." Cole answered, although he didn't sound very enthusiastic.  
  
When they entered the Manor together, Paige immediately rushed towards them. "Phoebe, is it you? Have you ... " She stopped in the middle of her sentence, when she saw Cole. "Oh," she said. "Hello." She stared at Phoebe and her doubtful look showed, that she supposed that her sister had lost her mind. She walked into the living-room to Piper and Leo. Phoebe followed together with Cole and pretended not to mention anything.  
  
"Everything is alright." She told her family. "I have deleted the e-mail irrevocable.  
  
"Fortunately." Piper said and glanced at Cole. "Hello, Cole." She said and hoped that she sounded neutral. Then she walked to Phoebe and told her. "Could I talk to you for a while?" She pushed her back into the hall. Paige followed them immediately.  
  
Cole looked behind them not very lucky to stay alone in the living-room together with Phoebe's brother-in-law. He turned to him and said with a non- committal smile. "You also live here?"  
  
Leo looked at him surprised. "Yes, most of my time." he replied.  
  
"Most of your time?" What was he getting at? Cole wondered.  
  
"Mm .. well .. if I'm not away on business." Leo explained after a while.  
  
"On business? I though you are a doctor."  
  
Meanwhile in the hall Piper asked softly. "What is he doing here?" She looked at her sister piercing.  
  
"Why? Finally he had helped us." Phoebe said obstinate, she didn't see why she had to justify herself for taking him home with her.  
  
"I know, but that wasn't the question."  
  
"And why did you drag him along with you to the paper? And what did you tell him?" Paige interfered and was already prepared for the worst.  
  
"Cole told me, that no unauthorized person can pass the porter. And he was right. What should I have told him? That you won't have any problems with the porter, because you can beam yourself into the building? I think you should be grateful to him for helping us." She looked at her sister angrily and turned to Piper. "I can't understand, why I should keep him away from my home. Finally you have told me, that you accept my decision."  
  
"Okay," Piper said. "But you are responsible. If he picks up something, he shouldn't find out, it will be your problem." She turned around and went back into the living-room.  
  
When she entered the room, Cole was just saying. "Well, it's rather ... comfortable here." Okay, perhaps it was comfortable, but nevertheless Cole couldn't understand, why a doctor, who probably doesn't do too salarywise, wants to live together with his sisters-in-law in this not very big house. Where was the privacy?  
  
Piper seemed to detect Cole's real opinion in his intonation. And she said sweet as sugar. "Yes, we really love our house. Nobody wants to move out. Even you have lived here once."  
  
He looked at her astonished. "Oh, really?" He could hardly believe it. The house was nice, but what was so special about it, that nobody wanted to part with it?"  
  
Phoebe looked into the living-room from the hall and told Paige angrily. "What should he pick up? It isn't like we would have nonstop demon visitors."  
  
"Well, something like that." Paige pointed out. "But what have you told him?"  
  
Phoebe looked at her sister grinning and started to explain. "I told him, that your friend had taken compromising photos of you. And then he has sent them to the paper."  
  
"You aren't serious, are you?" Paige asked horrified.  
  
"What should I have told him? And everything worked out alright. Stop acting stupid. And by the way, he thought that nothing could be embarrassing for you." Phoebe stated amused.  
  
"O my god," Paige looked into the direction of the living-room. And she felt really embarrassed, when she saw Cole. But why should she care about it, it wasn't important, what he was thinking of her.  
  
They went back into the living-room. And Piper told everybody, that they would go to sleep. Paige decided immediately to go into her room, too.  
  
Cole and Phoebe stayed alone in the living-room and Cole looked around. "Piper told me, that I have lived here." he told Phoebe.  
  
She noticed that he couldn't believe it and said. "Yes, you have lived here, why?"  
  
"Don't know, it's strange." He shook his head. "Well the house isn't that big for so many people. Have we still lived here after our marriage?"  
  
"No, we had an own apartment" Her intonation was cold and Cole noticed, that it would be better not to continue this subject. "But don't let us talk about the past, okay?" She said immediately.  
  
"Well it doesn't matter." He agreed and looked at her. "Nevertheless, I have lived here together with you and I can't remember anything of it..."  
  
She walked to him and buried her face on his shoulder, then she leaned back and looked at him seriously. "That's the way it is, Cole. You have to accept it."  
  
"It doesn't disturb you, that I have forgotten our time together .. and ... you?" He asked disbelieving.  
  
"Mm, yes, it's really offending." She said and smiled. She freed from him and went to the stairs. She reached out for him and suggested. "Perhaps we should go into the room, you have lived and refresh your memories."  
  
"Why not." He replied and took her hand. Together they went upstairs into Phoebe's room. When they entered it, Cole examined the room, but as he had expected, nothing was familiar for him. He was standing in the room irresolutely, while Phoebe sat down on the bed. "Well the walls aren't very thick, are they?" He asked.  
  
Phoebe looked at him irritated. "What? What makes you say that?"  
  
"It was just a thought. Where are the rooms of your sisters?"  
  
"Paige's room is upstairs, too and Piper and Leo's room is downstairs." Phoebe said and wondered, why he was interested in it.  
  
"Downstairs? Do you mean there?" He looked at the floor.  
  
Phoebe started to laugh. "Goodness, Cole, you have never been a prude. It had never disturbed you."  
  
"Really?" He still looked unhappily at the flooring. "I can't imagine that. And I really can't understand why everybody has to live here. What's the special attraction of this house?" He asked dissatisfied.  
  
"Well it's a beautiful house and our ancestors have already lived here. We feel comfortable here."  
  
"Fantastic."  
  
"What's the matter Cole?" She looked at him asking.  
  
He also didn't know, what was going on with him? He couldn't understand himself, that was not like him. It weren't her sisters, who disturbed him, it was something else. When he was together with Phoebe in his apartment, everything was alright. None of them thought about their past there. But here, he had been here before, together with her and he hadn't the foggiest idea, what had happened here. He couldn't judge which shadows of the past could be a strain on their relationship.  
  
Phoebe watched the irresolute Cole. She could imagine, what he was thinking of. It was also strange for her to be here together with him again. But she wasn't afraid of it. She wanted to chase away the ghosts of the past. She reached out for him. "Come." she said. He looked at her and sat down on the bed beside her sighing. Phoebe took off her pullover and started to unbutton his shirt. "Just don't think about it." She whispered.  
  
He looked at her surprised, why did she know about what he was thinking. She took off his shirt and her mouth found his. She was right, why should he think about their past, they lived here and now. He felt her lips on his and her hands caressed his back. He pulled her tighter and felt her skin on his skin and her heart beat on his breast. His doubts were brushed off immediately. 


	29. Chapter 29

Thanks for your reviews, it's always great to read your ideas about the story. I hope it's okay, what will happen, so there is the next chapter.  
.  
  
Chapter 29  
  
Next day the morning silence was disturbed by an incessant ringing of the doorbell. Cole sat up and looked at Phoebe. "What's that?" He asked, still rather sleepy.  
  
"Somebody is leaning on the bell." Phoebe supposed and stood up.  
  
Cole leaned back, "Well, I think I prefer sunlight to wake me up and not this awful noise."  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe had taken on some clothes and went to the door. She turned around to Cole and told him. "You should stay here."  
  
Cole looked her leaving the room and was surprised. Then he stood up and took on his clothes, too. He followed her onto the floor, because he really didn't want to miss what was going on there. Phoebe looked at him angrily, but didn't say anything and looked into the hall. Piper had already opened the door for the troublemaker. It was Michael Deacon, who rushed into the house and started to shout accusing. "You have broken into my office and destroyed my safe."  
  
"Can you prove it?" Paige asked, who was standing beside Cole at the stairs. Cole glanced at her surprised.  
  
Meanwhile Michael Deacon looked up too and stared at Paige. He recognized the woman, who had attacked his wife in her. "You!" He screamed. "You only wanted to cover up your tracks. You have tried to kill my wife!"  
  
"We haven't killed your wife, Mr. Deacon. We have rescued her. I already told you yesterday that she is safe." Piper tried to calm him down.  
  
Deacon turned to her again. "But I have seen it with my own eyes. She had attacked my wife with a knife." His finger pointed at Paige. "And I have an evidence."  
  
"You had an evidence." Paige told him saucy.  
  
"Don't be so sure, young lady, I have sent it to the press." He explained satisfied. "And soon everybody will see you trying to kill my wife."  
  
"But you know, that we aren't your problem but ..." Piper stopped and looked at Cole, why did he have to stand there? She wondered angrily, why couldn't Phoebe take care of him a little bit better. "Well, you know, what your problem is, Monica had told us." She looked at Deacon piercing.  
  
"I don't know, if I can believe you. If everything was so harmless, why would you crack my safe?"  
  
"Because your wife doesn't want to talk to you." Phoebe stated dryly. "And I also wouldn't hope for the press publishing."  
  
"I can't believe that." Deacon shook his head.  
  
"You should be happy, that we have destroyed every piece of evidence. How did you want to explain everything what had happened without telling the people too much about your special problems? Have you already thought about that?" Piper asked angrily.  
  
"No," he replied sadly. "But it's impossible, that Monica doesn't want to talk to me, she wouldn't do that to me." He added subdued.  
  
"Your wife is afraid, that somebody could attack her again. And I think you understand that. She worries that they could get onto her, if she met you. She isn't in danger at the moment. Do you really want to put her life a risk again?"  
  
"I only want to know, if she is alright."  
  
"She is fine." Leo interfered the discussion. "Nothing will happen to her, I promise you. She is safe."  
  
"But how long does she have to stay there?" Michael Deacon moaned.  
  
"Until you have solved all your problems." Piper said coldly.  
  
"But how shall I do it? I already don't know where to start." He looked at her desperately.  
  
"Well, we can't help you, finally everything is your own fault."  
  
"I know, I know." Michael Deacon looked around nervously and finally he walked slowly to the door. There he turned around again and asked. "But I need a proof that she is alright. She has to write a letter to me, a private letter." He looked at Leo requesting.  
  
"I think that won't be a problem." Leo told him convinced.  
  
Deacon nodded and left the house. Leo and the sisters breathed in relief.  
  
"What was that supposed to be?" Cole asked. "That was Michael Deacon, wasn't it?" When nobody answered he stated. "Well in contrast to you I didn't understand a thing."  
  
"Yes, and that's better." Piper said dryly and looked at him.  
  
Cole had to laugh. "Well, could you tell me, why I always have to tell you everything I have found out and you don't tell me anything you know?"  
  
"Because you're only interested in a hot story." Piper explained him coldly. "And we aren't"  
  
"Oh, and what's your interest? To safe the world?"  
  
When Piper smiled friendly and nodded he added ironically. "Then I can fully understand that of course." Then he turned to Paige and said. "I really imagined something else to compromising photos."  
  
"Oh, really? And what did you imagine?"  
  
He looked at her amused. "Desperately not photos of you, on which you try to kill a woman."  
  
Paige sighed. "I didn't want to kill his wife, that was only a misunderstanding."  
  
"Mm and why did you have to destroy all pieces of evidence?"  
  
"Because I didn't want that anybody would come to the wrong conclusion."  
  
"That's the reason, why I had to delete other people's e-mails and you cracked a safe? Well, that's a great deal of energy only to prevent that nobody comes to the wrong conclusion." Cole said ironically.  
  
"Well I'm not used to it, that somebody could think that I have killed a woman. Perhaps I overreacted a little bit. Of course you can't understand that, with all the people you have on your conscience." Paige replied angrily. And it was too late to change it when she noticed what she had said.  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Cole looked at her shocked. "Do you want to insinuate that I have killed somebody?"  
  
Phoebe looked at her sister furiously.  
  
"Just forget it." Paige tried to play it down.  
  
"What shall I forget, that I have killed somebody?" Cole asked angrily.  
  
"No, I didn't say that." Paige explained softly but firmly.  
  
"You got her wrong." Phoebe interfered still angry about Paige. She pulled Cole quickly into her room, before he could say something else.  
  
"What was she insinuating?" Cole asked Phoebe, when she shut the door.  
  
"Nothing, she sometimes says something without thinking. She was angry about your imputation. She really didn't want to kill Deacon's wife." Phoebe tried to calm him down.  
  
Cole sat down on Phoebe's bed unsatisfied. "And what do you have to do with Deacon's wife?" He asked.  
  
She sat down beside him and explained. "She had asked us for help. She was afraid of her husband's corrupt business friends. And we got her out of harm's way."  
  
"And this compromising photos?"  
  
"Deacon had faked them. Because he wants to know where his wife is at the moment."  
  
"Well, he told something different." Cole stated and looked at her suspiciously.  
  
"Then you got him wrong." Phoebe said and felt badly that she had to lie to Cole. In future she would have to find a way to explain him her witchy life, without giving him the idea that he had been a part of this magical world before. She kissed him on his cheek and said. "I'll take a shower, okay?" She stoop up and left the room, while he was still sitting on the bed thoughtfully.  
  
Phoebe went downstairs and found Paige and Piper in the kitchen. Leo was already on his way to Monica Deacon to get the letter for her husband.  
  
When Phoebe saw Paige, she hissed at her furiously. "What made you say that to Cole?"  
  
"I didn't want it. It just slipped out." Paige tried to defend herself.  
  
"It slipped out? For heaven's sake Paige, couldn't you be careful. What on earth made you say that?" Phoebe shook her head.  
  
"Why couldn't you keep him under control a little bit better?" Piper interfered.  
  
"Keep him under control?" Phoebe looked at her sister disbelieving.  
  
"Yes, if he has to stay here, you'll have to take care, where he runs around. It wasn't necessary that he was standing there, when Michael Deacon turned up." she explained.  
  
"Well, I can't lock him up." Phoebe pointed out and sat down on a chair.  
  
"I have already told you, that you are responsible for everything he'll pick up here." Piper told her once again.  
  
"And finally I only told him the truth." Paige added complacent.  
  
"Thanks Paige, that you remember me." Phoebe looked at her angrily and jumped up to leave the room.  
  
But Paige walked to her and hugged her. "I'm sorry," She said. "Sometimes I say things like that without thinking. I really didn't want it."  
  
"And could you get him off this subject?" Piper asked.  
  
"I hope so." Phoebe said. "I tried to stick to the truth, as far as possible. I don't like that I have to lie to him."  
  
Piper could just resist saying, that she had already told her about it.  
  
"Do you think, I could tell him that we are witches at least?" Phoebe looked at her sisters asking.  
  
"Are you crazy, of course not." Paige said.  
  
"Better not, you know, what Leo had told you." Piper pointed out.  
  
"Yes, but he had also said, that very probably nothing would happen. And I can't imagine, that Cole would think that he had been a demon before." Phoebe explained.  
  
"Well, you can't say that he isn't clever, Phoebe. And I don't think that you could stop him from coming to the right conclusion."  
  
"And what shall I do? Go on lying and be on my guard?"  
  
Her sisters shrugged their shoulders. Phoebe groaned, she knew, that this was only her problem. But she would find a solution, she thought optimistically.  
  
In Phoebe's bedroom Cole had already put on his clothes. He sat down in front of Phoebe's mirror and looked at his face. Could a murderer look like this? He couldn't say it. He sighed and looked around. In the back on the table he saw a little casket. He remembered, that the photos of Phoebe and him were lying in it. He opened it and really found the old pictures. He took out the photos to take a close look at them. He wanted to know, if the man on the photos, looked like somebody, who could have people on his conscience. When the photos were lying in front of him, his look felt on a ring in the casket. He took it out of the casket. But when he held it in his hands, it also didn't tell him anything, as everything else. He groaned and put it aside, when he noticed a letter in the casket. He could read Phoebe's name on the envelope. The writing was familiar to him and he took out the letter. It was only Phoebe's name on the envelope, but it seemed as if it could be his handwriting. Carefully he opened it and saw indeed his own handwriting, it hadn't changed at all. He had a few scruples about reading it, but he started nevertheless.  
  
When he had finished the letter, he wished that he wouldn't have read it. It seemed as if he had written the letter, because he had supposed, that he would die and Phoebe would be responsible for it. He had stated, that only she would have the power to vanquish him. He couldn't imagine, what he had meant by this. Luckily it seemed that he wasn't angry about it, and that he could understand it. He had told her, that she shouldn't be sad about his death, because he had just started to live, when he had met her and that their love was immortal. Or better his love for her, Cole thought and wondered, when he had written this letter, after their divorce? He could hardly believe it.  
  
Lost in thoughts he listened Phoebe's steps on the stairs. Quickly he put the letter and the photos back into the casket. He put the casket back to the place where it was before and suddenly noticed, that he had forgotten to put back the ring. It was still lying on the table. He didn't know what to do. It wasn't enough time to put it back, therefore he put it into his pocket and stood up to meet her at the door. He hoped, that she wouldn't notice, that the ring was gone, finally he could put it back at the first best opportunity.  
  
Phoebe entered the room with a smile. When she saw him standing at the door, she stopped and asked surprised. "Do you already want to go?"  
  
"Yes, you know, Helen will be discharged from hospital today and I want to meet her this morning." He tried to wriggle out of this situation. He needed some time to think about everything.  
  
Phoebe flung her arms around his neck and looked at him searching "Is everything alright?" She asked concerned.  
  
"Yes, of course." He calmed her down and tried to smile at her luckily. He gave her a short kiss and went to the door. He walked downstairs and Phoebe followed him to the exit. When he left the house, Phoebe looked behind him still uncertain. She didn't know, how she could interpret his fast departure.  
  
Cole decided to go to his office, because he didn't want to think about this letter and Paige's insinuation at the moment. He needed a diversion and wanted to take the documents about the chemical plant. And nobody could know, if the sisters would decide that it was necessary to steal them out of his office.  
  
When he entered his office, the phone was ringing to his surprise. It was Trisha Raymond. She wanted to meet him. He suggested a cafe not far away from his office. Most of the employees of the Daylight Express were customers there regularly. He took the documents and wanted to leave the room, but he stopped uncertain. He turned around and walked back to his desk. He opened the drawer and put out Cyber's envelope. He looked at it doubtfully. He didn't know, if he should open it. Well he had promised Phoebe not to do it, but he had to know if something of Paige's insinuation could be true. Uncertainly he fiddled around at the adhesive tape but couldn't bring himself to open it. Cursing he put it back into the drawer. It wasn't the right moment, finally he had a meeting soon. And he hasn't had breakfast yet. Without turning around again, he left his office.  
  
When Trisha entered the cafe, Cole already had had breakfast and felt better. Trisha sat down on the chair opposite to him and ordered a coffee. She looked at Cole conspiring and asked. "Have you found out anything yet?"  
  
He had to shake his head. "I'll care about it this weekend."  
  
She nodded. "Okay, well I already started to examine the research reports. I have a lot of time at the moment, you know." She grinned.  
  
"And did you find out anything?" He could already see it, when he looked on her face, but he didn't want to spoil her fun.  
  
"Indeed." She paused for effect. "I've found out, that they do research on a remedy, which is able to erase the memory of the last time."  
  
He looked at her interested. "Then I was right, all this losses of memory were manipulated."  
  
"It seems so. They have found a new type of substance, I've never heard of it before." She shook her head. "I would really like to know, where they could find it."  
  
"In what way is it possible to loose the memory?" Cole asked carefully.  
  
She looked at him and smiled excusing. "Only for a special period of time. I don't think that it's possible to loose the memory for your whole life, like you did. It seems as if this substance has a side effect, therefore it's impossible to erase too much memory. The brain wouldn't go along with it, the person would die."  
  
"Mm," then it was impossible, that he had got this remedy. He had already thought, that he had found a solution of this problem. But then he remembered someone else. "Adam Samuels." He said.  
  
"What? Who?" Trisha asked irritated.  
  
Cole told her about the death of Samuels and that he supposed that the substance had killed him.  
  
"Of course that's possible." She said. "But what makes them think of developing this remedy?"  
  
Cole shrugged his shoulders. "Well it's very useful. If somebody knows too much, you'll be able to inject him a little bit of it and the problem will be solved. You don't need blackmail anymore, or something like that."  
  
"You are right. Now we have to find out, where they have developed this remedy."  
  
Cole looked at her asking. "Why do you think, that they haven't done it in the chemical plant? I mean, we have found the documents there."  
  
Trisha shook her head. "It's possible that they go on to do laboratory experiments there, but it can't be the main laboratory for research and development. I've read research reports about the final stage of the process of development. But before this it needs countless stages and the pharmaceutical department is too small for this."  
  
He nodded. "Perhaps I'll find the secret laboratory on the blueprints." He put the documents on the table and Trisha took a close look at them.  
  
"Do you know where it could be?"  
  
"Mm, well this contours are too big for the chemical plant. But it could be the architect's plan of a research center. Look there" She showed him a green area. "This could be labs, but if I'm right, the site must be huge. I can't imagine, where they have found it."  
  
Cole thought about it. "My colleague Helen knows somebody of the building authorities. Perhaps she could help us."  
  
"Yes, but be careful. This people don't stand for any nonsense." She gave him the documents.  
  
"I know, don't worry." He smiled at her calming.  
  
After his meeting with Trisha, he went home. He wanted to meet Helen. When he was ringing at her door, Peter opened it. "Oh, you." He said and let him in.  
  
"Yes, it's me. Do you have any problems with it?" Cole asked irritable.  
  
"No, why on earth should I." Peter walked into the living room and Cole followed him. "A rare visitor." Peter told Helen, who was sitting lucky on the couch.  
  
"It's so wonderful to be at home again." She told him. "Please preserve me from staying in the hospital again."  
  
"I'll make every endeavor." Cole told laughing, while he sat down beside her.  
  
"Mm," Peter sneered.  
  
Cole looked at him angrily. "Could you please tell me, what's your problem? You behaved very strange already yesterday in my office." When Peter said nothing Cole continued grimly. "Is Phoebe the problem? What do you have against her? You finally don't know her."  
  
"But she has something to hide, I feel it. And you would also see it, if you weren't struck with blindness."  
  
"When did you become such a good judge of character?" Cole hissed at him angrily.  
  
"Hey, stop it." Helen intervened. "Peter you know that isn't the point." She looked at Cole. "He is angry because you haven't told him anything about the documents of this hacker."  
  
Peter grumbled, but didn't say a word.  
  
"Well if that's the problem" Cole started and looked at Peter. "I haven't opened the envelope, yet."  
  
"What?" Peter looked at him astonished. "Why that?"  
  
"Because Phoebe asked me not to do it. And I don't want to hear anything silly now."  
  
"Well, she really is on top of you." Peter couldn't help saying.  
  
"No, you are wrong. I have accepted that it's stupid to run behind my past, when I can live now in the present." Cole told him angrily.  
  
"Tell me another one."  
  
"Peter, you wanted to buy me something in the drugstore, didn't you?" Helen interrupted their discussion, before they started to scream at each other.  
  
"As you like." Peter said and trudged out of the apartment.  
  
"You of all people must tell me, that she is on top of me." Cole shouted behind him. Then he turned to Helen with an excusing smile. "Sorry, but thanks that you've sent him to the drugstore. Today I can't bear such kind of discussion anymore."  
  
"Why? Has anything happened?" Helen asked surprised.  
  
Cole shook his head. "Forget it!"  
  
They were silent for a while, when Helen started to talk about it again. "But Peter is right, I also can't understand why you aren't interested in your past anymore. You always wanted to know everything about it, no matter what you could find out."  
  
"Yes," he watched at the ground and tried to explain it to Helen. "But I always had the feeling that I was searching for something. And now I have found Phoebe. That's more important than my whole life. I know that. So why on earth should I go on searching frantically, when I have already found what I was looking for? Perhaps there is a sense, why I have lost my memories. And I only have to accept that."  
  
"And you are able to accept it?" She asked and looked at him curiously.  
  
"Yes, if everything goes well, it's okay. But then always something intervenes." He looked at her unhappy.  
  
"Just tell me, what happened today." She asked him. "And I won't breathe a word to Peter, if you don't want it."  
  
"Is that a promise?"  
  
"Yes, I swear."  
  
"Okay, well when I was at Phoebe's I've found a letter of me." He began to hesitate, but then he continued quickly. "I hadn't any intention to find it. I mean, I haven't searched for anything, I found it by chance."  
  
"A letter? What kind of letter?"  
  
"A farewell letter, I think. Phoebe should only get it, when I was dead. I'm only wondering, how I wanted to manage it. Did I write in my last will: in case of my death please give it to Phoebe Halliwell, but only if she had killed me herself." He thought about it and turned to Helen. "Otherwise the content of the letter would be wrong, you have to know. But it went wrong, finally I'm still alive."  
  
Helen looked at him doubtfully. "It's all double Dutch to me, could you clearly explain it again."  
  
He groaned. "Well I've found this letter, I wrote to her. In the letter I took into consideration, that I could die and she would be responsible for my death. Funnily I wasn't angry with her, I didn't take amiss. I have no idea, what that could mean. Perhaps I was really insane and had hallucinations. And then I lost my memories." He looked at Helen. "Or it was only a joke, finally she got the letter, but I'm still alive. Or everything took another course than I've thought."  
  
"Mm," Helen still couldn't make any sense of it. Probably he got it wrong. She looked at him piercing. "You have to talk about it with her."  
  
"Are you mad? She already flipped out, when she thought, that I had read the police reports. I don't want to know, what would happen, if she found out, that I rummaged in her things."  
  
"Well, I also wouldn't like that. But she wouldn't separate from you because of it." Helen tried to convince him.  
  
"You really don't know her." Cole told her deadly serious. "I can't talk with her about it, otherwise I could loose her."  
  
Helen looked at him doubtfully. "I think it's a mistake not to talk about it. You can't ignore the things of your past. Believe me." When he didn't answer, she continued. "Do you know, I always had the feeling, that she was involved in your vanishing. And what you've told me about this letter, that you've supposed, that you could put the blame for your death on her ...."  
  
"She has told me, that I've tried to commit suicide. Perhaps I wrote about that." He said thoughtfully.  
  
"And you believe it?" Helen asked surprised.  
  
Cole shrugged his shoulders. "I don't no, I have no idea. I understand nothing of it." Still in thoughts he looked at Helen. "I've promised her not to open the envelope, but if you open it, it'll be something else." He grinned cunning.  
  
"Well I don't think, that she would agree." Helen pointed out.  
  
"She won't have to find out about it. I only want to be sure, that I'm not a commissioned killer of the Mafia or anything like that."  
  
"What makes you think of that?"  
  
"Didn't Peter tell you anything about Cyber's Mafia theory?" He asked surprised.  
  
"Of course he did. But that sounded more absurd."  
  
"Well, Phoebe's sister made such a stupid insinuation about it. I only want to know, what Cyber found out. Will you meet me this afternoon in my apartment? I'll have to take the envelope from my office and you'll be able to take a look at it."  
  
"Okay, but it's your decision."  
  
"Of course. But I still have another question. Do you know anybody from the building authorities?" When Helen nodded he continued. "I want to inspect the real estate register, but nobody should find out about it."  
  
She laughed. "I understand. If you want, I can call Paula Tremayne. Perhaps she can help you on." She took her address book and searched for the number.  
  
"If it's possible, I'd like to meet her just this weekend." Cole told Helen, while she took the phone and dialed the number. They were lucky and Paula Tremayne was at home. She agreed to help Cole. But she hadn't a lot of time this weekend and therefore she wanted to meet him immediately.  
  
Cole thanked Helen and walked to the door. He turned around again and remembered her that they would have a meeting this afternoon. When he went to the elevator, he met Peter. "You already have to go?" He asked Cole, as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Yes, Helen has arranged an appointment with a woman of the building authorities for me. And I have to hurry."  
  
"Okay, have fun."  
  
When Cole arrived in front of the building an elderly woman was already waiting there. She looked around attentively. Cole walked towards her and asked gently. "Mrs. Tremayne?"  
  
She beamed on him "And you have to be Mr. Torrens. Nice to meet you." She shook his hand.  
  
Cole welcomed her and thanked her, that she wanted to help him.  
  
She made a dismissing gesture. "Don't mention it. And don't waste too much time with empty phrases, let's go." Despite her small height she rushed to the building in a great pace. Cole followed her into the building. They passed a bored porter and walked along a long corridor. At the end they entered a big archives. On Saturday it was completely empty.  
  
Paula sat down on a table and turned to Cole again. "Now you can tell me, what the problem is, young man." She told him and looked at him interested.  
  
Cole put the blueprints on the table. "Could you tell me, what's it all about?"  
  
"Mm," She looked at the drawings attentively. "This are cartographic drawings of a hilly area. And there are the analysis about the sample of soil. And this is a project's planning, they wanted to do a construction under the ground."  
  
"Subterranean?" Cole asked surprised.  
  
"Yes, first they have analyzed the sample of soil and the condition of the ground, if it's possible to build underground. How deep they could go and so on. And this is the building project, they have planed. But goodness me," she wondered. "This people have taken on quite a job. The site is huge." She looked at Cole astonished. "And you can bet, that they didn't ask for a planning permission. I bet the building authorities don't know anything about it." She smiled at him excusing. "Unfortunately I don't think that you'll find anything about it in the real estate register, even if they realize their plans."  
  
He shook his head. "Don't worry, you can help me nevertheless. I think the Canterros are the owners of this site. Could you find out which estates they have?"  
  
She nodded and went to the computer. Cole told her the names and Paula started to search. At the beginning she looked doubtful and mumbled to herself. "No, that isn't the right one, perhaps this one, mm yes." She walked to the wall-to-wall-shelving and came back to the table. She put a big book on the table and opened it. A musty smell of old paper and a lot of dust whirled in the air.  
  
"It could be this one." She said and showed Cole old registrations in the book. "The Pattens are the owners already for a long time. That's the family of Meagan Canterro." She looked at the computer again. "And her parents made it over to her some time ago. The landscape and the properties of the soil are the same. It could be the site on the blueprints."  
  
Cole looked into the old book and the registrations. Paula showed him the map of the property in the book.  
  
"There is a border, it's a wood. It's the same on the blueprints and it has the right size. I think we have found the site." She looked at Cole triumphantly.  
  
"Do you think they could realize such a big building project there? And nobody noticed anything about it?" Cole asked and looked doubtfully.  
  
"It's rather secluded there. They only have two neighbors." She looked at the book again. "On one side, there is a private estate, but the building is on the other side. The border to the Pattens' estate is a little lake and an area left in its natural state. I don't think that the owner is there very often. On the other side there is a little forest and nobody really uses it." She looked at him keenly. "The borders to the Patten's estate are always forests. They obstruct the view at construction works." She shrugged her shoulders. "And if somebody noticed it, they would only have to say, that they are building a summer house. The neighbors don't care, as long as the construction noise doesn't disturb them. And the next buildings are far away." She explained and added. "But such a big building project needs a lot of time. Years I would say."  
  
Cole thought about it. If the Canterros started with the construction work just after they had finished their studies, they would be able to finish it some years ago and it would be ready now. He looked at Paula Tremayne with a thankful smile. "You've really helped me a lot." He said. "Thanks, but now I need the address of this site."  
  
She wrote the address on a piece of paper and sketched the contours of the site. A wood in the South and the building North/West. Then she gave it to Cole.  
  
"Thanks again. But can you tell me, how you can get into this underground building?"  
  
She looked at him shocked. "I hope you won't try to break in there, will you? Don't do that. If somebody realizes such a secret building project, he won't be up to anything good. Be careful."  
  
"I'll be careful. Don't worry, but where are the entrances." Cole wouldn't give up until he'll get the answer. He gave her the paper with her sketch.  
  
Paula sighed. "Well, I think I can't stop you. So what. I can't tell you exactly, but look here. They have planned an elevator in the house and on the other side, not far from the wood they planed a car park under the ground with an entrance." She marked the places. "But of course I can't tell you, if they have realized it." She gave him the paper and closed the book. Then she took it back at it's place. While Cole put the piece of paper into his pocket.  
  
"I really don't know, how I can thank you." He told her, when they left the building.  
  
"Don't take a risk. Then I would be glad." She told him in a serious manner. "My old heart wouldn't go along if I was responsible that something happened to you."  
  
"I can take care of myself, I promise you."  
  
She looked at him sceptically. "I don't know, you don't look like anybody, who could take care of himself, young man."  
  
He looked back surprised. "You don't have to be afraid, really, and thanks again." He smiled for goodbye and disappeared.  
  
Paula Tremayne sighed and looked at him. "I hope I'm wrong." She shouted behind him.  
  
On Cole's way back to his apartment, he stopped at the building of the Daylight Express to take the envelope. The porter looked at him irritated. "Do you never have weekend?" He asked and shook his head.  
  
When Cole entered his office he walked to his desk and took the envelope out of the drawer without hesitation. He put it into his brief case and left the building again. Well it didn't mean that he had to open it, he told himself. 


	30. Chapter 30

Thanks for your review, I really try to hurry, I promise!!  
  
Chapter 30  
  
When Helen was ringing at Cole's door in the afternoon, he still wasn't absolutely sure if he should open the envelope or not. She sat down and Cole first thanked her that she has arranged the meeting with Paula Tremayne.  
  
"Don't mention. Did you find out what you wanted to know?"  
  
He nodded. "Yes, she could really help me on. But you aren't here for that, are you?"  
  
"I don't know, why I'm here. It's your decision, you know."  
  
Cole took the envelope in his hands undecided. "So what, sooner or later I'll open it anyway. So why not sooner." He decided and gave it to Helen.  
  
She took it and held it in her hands undecided, too. She looked at Cole asking. "Okay, if you want it, I'll open it. I can't deny that I'm curious to read it, too." She took a scissors and opened the envelope.  
  
Cole looked at her attentively. "If you don't find anything interesting, you simply won't tell me."  
  
Carefully she took out the papers. "Goodness, we made so much fuss about so less material." She waved with a few pieces of paper, before she took the first one and started to read. "Mm."  
  
"Well, anything new?" Cole asked impatiently.  
  
Helen looked up and said. "I thought I should only tell you what's written here, if I found out that you were a mass murderer."  
  
"Forget what I've said, tell me what's written there finally."  
  
"Wait a moment, that's strange." She looked at him irritated. "Do you know, that you appeared in Seattle at your birthday?" She asked and looked back at the paper.  
  
"How should I know?" But it also seemed to be rather odd to him. He should have committed suicide at his birthday? That was rather unlikely. He looked at Helen. "What more does it say?"  
  
"Mm, it seems that you vanished more often. Perhaps it was your hobby."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well the first time you vanished three years ago. You just worked as a district attorney in those days and you didn't work on your cases anymore."  
  
"Oh, do you think that's a reason to push off? I've always supposed, that that wasn't the right profession for myself."  
  
She shrugged her shoulders. "Be that as it may, the police investigated about your vanish. They have also asked Phoebe, but she couldn't say them anything, or she didn't want, who knows?" She looked at him knowing. "They have found bloodstain on the ground of your former apartment and a closet with a shrine or something like that. But otherwise they didn't find any hints."  
  
"Stop one moment, a shrine?"  
  
"Yes, to worship somebody or to conjure up ghosts, I don't know. With mystical stuff and occult rubbish."  
  
"Oh no, did I believe in that garbage? Hopefully I didn't belong to such a crazy satanic worshipper clan, like Fleisher and his friends."  
  
Helen looked up surprised. "Fleisher worships the devil?"  
  
"Didn't I tell you about it?" Cole asked surprised. "Deacon, Fleisher and Canterro were satanic worshippers while their college days, at least the other students called them this way. But let us talk about it later, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Helen looked back on the document. "Well, they didn't find out anything, but some time later, your landlady was killed and the detective and his assistant, too."  
  
Cole looked at her astonished. "Did they think I had anything to do with it?"  
  
"No, not really." She shook her head.  
  
"Mm, but it sounds like the Mafia, doesn't it?"  
  
She looked at him sceptically. "I don't know, probably everything is a chance. The detective and his assistant had to investigate in many different criminal cases. You vanished already some time ago."  
  
She looked at the document again. "They didn't find out anything spectacular about you. I don't think that the murderers had anything to do with you." She calmed him down.  
  
"But district attorney and lawyer, that are professions for the Mafia."  
  
"No idea, but if the Mafia gave you the job as DA, they wouldn't allow you to loose it again, because you didn't want to work." She explained and took the next slip of paper.  
  
He wasn't convinced about it, but he decided to wait until Helen started to speak again. "Here is something unimportant, you went by car without identity card or driving license. And then the next time you disappeared one and a half year ago." She looked at him surprised. "You must have been filthy rich, because you had an apartment in one of the most expensive buildings of the town." She looked at him ironically. "Well, I don't think that the Mafia forgive you so fast, that you have messed up your last job, that they gave you this apartment as a reward."  
  
"Really? And why did I do a bunk again? And why did I have so much money suddenly?"  
  
Helen shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, you probably had a good job. Lawyers can earn a lot of money."  
  
"And before I had to live together with Phoebe and her sisters in their house. Rather strange, isn't it?"  
  
Helen didn't care about his thoughts and started to read again. "When you vanished, your wife Phoebe reported the police that you were missed. And oh ..." She looked at him uncertainly.  
  
"What Helen?" He looked at her piercing. But when Helen didn't say anything and only looked at him hesitating, he hissed at her. "Just tell me or I'll snatch the document from your hand."  
  
She sighed. "She was pregnant." She finally said softly.  
  
"What? Pregnant? And I've left her? But ... she doesn't have a child." He pointed out disbelieving.  
  
"She had probably lost it." Helen thought and had misgivings about it, perhaps it was a bad idea to open this envelope.  
  
"Oh no!" He said horrified. "Now I understand, that she had hated me."  
  
Helen didn't know what to say.  
  
"Do you think therefore I wanted to commit suicide? It was my own fault, that she was through with me. How could I run away in this moment?" He looked at her irresolutely. He couldn't believe that he would be able to leave her alone in such a moment. Finally he loved her and he was sure, that he had always loved her.  
  
"I don't know, perhaps it was different." Helen looked at him and felt uneasy. Perhaps it hadn't been his child, it flashed through her mind. But she decided not to mention it. She looked back on the slip of paper and continued practically. "When she wanted a divorce you appeared again. Yes and that's it, here are some addresses of your former apparment and your employers, but when you vanished the last time, the police didn't investigate. Perhaps Cyber didn't find out anything about it or the police didn't get a missing people's report."  
  
"No wonder!" He said gruffly. "How could I do this, Helen?" He looked at her asking.  
  
"I don't know, perhaps you had your reasons. I can't imagine that you would do it intentionally."  
  
"Who knows, probably you don't know me at all." He answered gloomy.  
  
"You have to talk about it with her." Helen stated.  
  
Cole looked at her disbelieving. "Are you mad? I've promised her not to read it. And I should probably better have kept my promise."  
  
"But you have done it and now you know, what's written here, therefore you have to talk with her. She'll find it out once and the sooner you'll tell her about it the less hurtful it'll be for her. You can believe me, Cole."  
  
He started to laugh "Oh, now you call me Cole, does that mean anything?"  
  
"No, that's your real name. Don't start to interpret anything into it. You are and you'll remain my friend. It isn't that worse. You already don't know, what had really happened. And finally she forgave you, didn't she?"  
  
Both suddenly heard the ringing of the door bell. "That's probably Peter." Cole said and walked to the door, thankful for this change. He opened the door and saw Phoebe. He stared at her astonished.  
  
She frowned. "Well, that isn't a very enthusiastic welcome!"  
  
"Excuse me, hello." He kissed her for welcome and let her into his apartment.  
  
"I want to invite you for dinner, do you remember? I promised you after the mess yesterday. And I decided to come a little bit earlier, or do you already have other plans?" She looked at him asking.  
  
When Helen heard, who was arriving, she put the documents under some papers. Then she stood up and walked to the door. She gave Phoebe her hand and smiled friendly. "Hello Phoebe, nice to meet you." She said. "I don't want to disturb you, I only have to talk to Cole for a while. It won't take long." She pulled him out of the floor and looked at him piercing. "You have to talk about it with her." She implored him.  
  
He looked aside and said annoyed. "Okay, I'll do it."  
  
"Well, that was rather unconvincing. Sorry, but I don't believe, that you'll do it. I know you too good." She looked at him with an ironical smile. "No matter, if Kevin or Cole, you prefer to go out of the way to unpleasant matters. But if you don't do it today, it will become worse."  
  
"Okay, I'll talk to her."  
  
"Great, because otherwise I'll tell her tomorrow." She turned around and wanted to go.  
  
But Cole held her. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You've heard what I've said." She knew, that she had to put him under pressure. "You'll have to tell her, that you've opened the envelope, if you want her to trust you again." She tried to convince him.  
  
He looked at her angrily. "Why do you want to interfere in my life? I'll do, what I think it's the right thing."  
  
She looked at him doubtfully. "Well, I have my doubts, that you'll take the right decision. You've opened the envelope and therefore you have to tell her immediately. She'll understand it." She tried to convince him again. "But if you're hesitating too long, you'll get into troubles. Trust me and do it, otherwise I'll do it."  
  
"You won't do it." He told her more convinced than he really was.  
  
"Don't be too sure." She said. "And a last tip, you shouldn't tell her, that I've opened it. When I would be her, it would disturb me." She turned around and walked along the corridor and didn't turn around again.  
  
Cole looked behind her and didn't know, what he should think about it. Groaning he went back into his apartment. He found Phoebe looking out of the window. When he saw her standing there, he cursed Helen for spoiling his evening. He would prefer to enjoy this day together with Phoebe and forget all the rubbish. But Helen had talked him into getting a bad conscience. And although he didn't really believe that she would talk to Phoebe, he knew that she was right.  
  
He walked to Phoebe and wrapped his arms around her. "Hey!"  
  
"Hello," she said. "Is it okay, that I'm here that early?" She turned around and looked at him. She didn't know yet, what she should think about Helen.  
  
"Of course, I'm always happy, when you are here." He beamed on her uncertainly.  
  
She looked at him searching. "But there is anything wrong, isn't it?" She asked finally.  
  
He turned around and walked to the sofa. He sat down and started slowly. "I have to tell you something."  
  
"What?" She asked worried and expected the worst. She walked to the sofa and sat beside him.  
  
"I've opened Cyber's envelope." He explained shortly and glanced at her.  
  
"Oh, damn it, Cole, why? You have promised me not to do it." She said disappointed.  
  
"I know, but this stupid insinuations of your sister today and this damn Mafia stuff, I had to know, what he had found out about me."  
  
"What do you mean with Mafia?" She asked irritated.  
  
"Well Cyber had his theory. That I could have been involved into organized crime."  
  
"But what made him think of that?" Phoebe asked surprised.  
  
"Then it isn't true?" He looked at her asking.  
  
"Did you find anything about it in the report?" She asked back and had to admit, that it had been a little bit like that.  
  
"No, I only found out that I ran away regularly." When she didn't say anything, he continued. "But you don't have to talk about it with me, I only wanted to tell you about it." That wasn't the truth, because he was dying to know more about it. He wanted to understand it, but he didn't want to put her under pressure.  
  
"Okay." She was angry, that he broke his word, but at least he had told her about it immediately. She wondered, what the damn computer hacker had found out. She looked at Cole "Can I take a look at it?"  
  
"Of course, one moment." He looked around and couldn't see where Helen had put the slips of paper. "I have hid them, when Helen was coming." He told Phoebe. "But where did I put it?" He rummaged on the table and finally found the documents under some newspapers. "There." He gave it to Phoebe.  
  
She took it and looked at it. Then she started to read. To her relief she noticed that it wasn't very conspicuous. But of course she wasn't happy, that he knew some details now.  
  
"I was surprised, that I vanished at my birthday." Cole told her innocently and waited for an answer. But she looked at the report stubbornly and didn't say anything. So he continued. "And you've really thought, that I committed suicide on my birthday?" He couldn't believe that.  
  
Phoebe didn't look up "Yes!" was the short answer.  
  
"Okay, alright forget it!" He told her moaning. "But I have to tell you this. I just can't understand how I could leave you, when you were pregnant. I can't believe, that I could do that to you."  
  
Now Phoebe looked at him sadly. "Cole," she began hesitating. "That's more complicated than you can imagine. And I don't want to talk about it. It was a dreadful time for me and I only want to forget it. Therefore please, let that matter rest. Accept that I forgave you and that we have a new chance to start together again, without this." She threw the documents on the table and saw his disappointed view. "I've lost the child, but it's over and nobody is able to undo it."  
  
"Why are you able to forgive me that easily?" He wondered.  
  
She gave a sad laugh. "I didn't forgive you that easily, believe me. But you had to go, it wasn't your choice," because we had to vanquish you, she thought. "But despite of this things didn't look much better."  
  
He looked at her sceptically. "It drives me mad, that I can't understand it." He said bitterly. He looked at her piercing, she had the possibility to explain him, what had happened, but she didn't want to do it.  
  
"Believe me, you don't want to know it." She told him calmly and she was convinced about it.  
  
"How can you tell?"  
  
"I know it. And don't you think, it would have been the better choice not to open the envelope?" She looked at him asking.  
  
He shrugged his shoulders, on one hand yes, but on the other hand no. Finally he had done these things and he only wanted to know why.  
  
Phoebe saw, that Cole was brooding on it. Of course she was angry about him, but it wouldn't help her to hiss at him. She had to stop him searching for more information, although she couldn't imagine, that he would find out anything more. But she wanted to make him forget about his past. He shouldn't want it anymore. She looked at him piercing. "Please stop it, Cole. We live now. Do you really want to ruin this?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
Phoebe wanted to take the report and throw it into the waste-paper basket, when she noticed another file lying on the table. "What's that?" She asked curiously.  
  
Cole looked at the table, too and said. "Oh, that are the documents I've found at the Canterro Plant."  
  
"Canterro." Phoebe took it and opened it. "Mm, do you already know, what's the meaning of it?"  
  
"Yes, nearly. Helen arranged an appointment with a woman of the building authorities for me."  
  
"And could she help you?" Phoebe asked, while she was still looking at the blueprints.  
  
"Yes! I wanted to find out if the Canterros are the owners of some properties. And she could tell me." It took his mind off his thoughts about his past when he told Phoebe about this subject. And perhaps he could gather a few credit points again and she would become more communicative. He had to smile, no, up to now it has never worked. But so what, he hadn't anything to hide in this subject and perhaps she would be able to help him. "It's possible that the Canerros have built a research center under the ground."  
  
"An underground research center?" She looked at him astonished.  
  
"Yes, at least they have planed it." He took the documents out of her hand and searched for the piece of paper, where Paula Tremayne had sketched it. He showed it to Phoebe. "There it could be. Meagan Canterro is the owner of this site. They have probably planed it to be able to make secret experiments."  
  
"Secret experiments? What kind of experiments?"  
  
"They have developed a remedy, which is able to wipe out a part of the memory for example. Trisha supposes that she got a little bit of it and I suppose that Debra White got it, too. It all adds up, after the person in the Midland New Hope building injected her this substance, he had enough time to vanish again and therefore we didn't see him. Do you remember, I have seen something of a green substance on the floor."  
  
She nodded and her thoughts followed hot on each other's hells. She knew, that Quasta had injected Debra the substance. But was it possible, that Canterro had examined Quasta's substance that well, that he could get and use it without the demon? "Why do you know so much about this substance?" she asked Cole.  
  
"Trisha told me about it. She found it in the research reports we've found in the plant."  
  
"Trisha? Do you know her so well?"  
  
He smiled at her satisfied, when he remembered something else. "Tell me, when you rescued Helen, you took her to her office. But why can't she remember anything of it? She even doesn't know, how she got there."  
  
"Do you think I injected her this substance?" She looked at him offended.  
  
"Well, it's odd, you have to admit." He pointed out and watched her sceptically.  
  
"It's more likely, that I've rescued her to get some of this remedy." She answered angrily.  
  
"Oh, yes I've just forgotten, that you have the noble intention to rescue the world."  
  
"That's it. But let's go." She jumped up, she didn't want to search for an explanation, why Helen didn't know, how she got into her office. She looked at Cole asking. "I think we shouldn't waste our time with this. Finally it's weekend and I want to invite you to a restaurant tonight."  
  
"I see, at the weekend you don't rescue women in trouble."  
  
"Well, if it's necessary, I'll also rescue them at the weekend. But at the moment nobody needs my help, so let us seize the opportunity."  
  
"As you wish!" Cole jumped up, too. He followed her to the door and his mood improved enormously.  
  
When they were sitting in Phoebe's car, he asked. "And where will we go?"  
  
"That's a surprise." She said and smiled. She also felt better, she was convinced, that they would manage to turn out the shadows of the past. But to her annoyance, her phone was ringing. It was Piper, who told her, that she had to come to the Deacon Factory immediately. She looked morose and told Cole. "That was Piper, she wants to meet me at the damn Deacon Factory immediately."  
  
"Okay, as it seems no weekend for the rescuers of the world." Cole said amused.  
  
"No, unfortunately not. But I hope it won't take long." There was no reason for her not to take Cole with her, she decided and asked him. "Is it far from here?"  
  
Cole shook his head. "No, only a few blocks."  
  
Short time later they arrived at the back part of the factory site. Phoebe stopped and opened the door. She leaned to Cole and told him. "You'll wait here, okay. It won't take long." She got off, but when she turned around, she saw him standing on the other side of the car.  
  
"I thought, we won't have any secrets from each other anymore." He explained her with a grin.  
  
"Really? That's new to me." She muttered softly and looked angrily. She wondered, if she could convince him not to come with her. Not far away she saw her sisters standing in front of a gate in the fence. She sighed and decided not to start a discussion with Cole. If he wanted to come with her, he should do it, she didn't believe that he could pick up anything interesting. She walked to her sisters and Cole followed her.  
  
"What's the matter?" She asked, when she arrived at Paige and Piper.  
  
"Deacon vanished." Piper explained and ignored Cole. "I wanted to bring him the letter of his wife, but when I arrived, he wasn't there. I can't imagine, that he left the building of his own free will. Could you look around? Perhaps you can find out, what had happened."  
  
"Of course, where did he want to wait for you?"  
  
"In his office." Piper went to the gate.  
  
"Stop, one moment." Cole stopped her. "Do you want to break in?"  
  
"No," Piper replied. "Deacon didn't want that anybody could find out, that I was coming. Therefore he opened the door for me."  
  
"And the dogs?"  
  
"Which dogs? When I was there some time ago, I didn't see a dog. They'll be on the factory site only at night, I suppose." Piper looked at him amused. "But if you're afraid of the dogs, it'll disturb nobody, when you'll stay here."  
  
"Don't worry, I don't want to miss it."  
  
They entered the site and walked to the main building. On their way, they didn't meet anybody, no human and no dog. The back door of the building wasn't closed and they entered the staircase. They went upstairs and walked into Deacon's office. The light was still switched on and everything looked peaceful. Phoebe started to go through the room and to touch the objects. Piper and Paige watched her, while Cole sat down on the desk and examined the phone.  
  
"I'm sorry, nothing." Phoebe said after a while. "Perhaps he really went home."  
  
"I've sent Leo there. He'll look for him. But I can't imagine, that he went home. When I called him, he was desperate to get the letter of his wife."  
  
"After you called him, Deacon called Jared Canterro." Cole told her and looked at the sisters. "Perhaps they've arranged an appointment."  
  
"How do you know that?" Piper asked sceptically.  
  
Cole pointed at the phone. "You can see the numbers and the names of his last calls here."  
  
"Let me see." Phoebe stepped beside him and looked at the phone. "That's right." She said and looked at Piper. "Perhaps you were worried about him needlessly and he only had a professional appointment with Canterro. But I'd like to know, if he called Canterro in his office or at home."  
  
"No problem!" Cole said and took out his wallet. He searched for the business. When he found it, he looked at the phone again. "It's the number of his office at the armament factory." He told Phoebe and gave her the card. "The main number of the personnel department is the same, only the direct dialing is another one."  
  
Phoebe looked at the card. "Where do you get this business card and what do you want with it?"  
  
"Well, if I remember my past again, I'll be able to apply there for a job as a lawyer." He told her satisfied.  
  
Phoebe looked at him and shook her head, when she suddenly noticed a blue light in the air. Oh no, she thought and looked horrified at the point, where seconds later Leo appeared. "Deacon isn't at home." He told Piper.  
  
Cole stared at him calmly. To his own surprise he wasn't really horrified about Leo's strange appearance. "Mm," he started a little irritated. "Why on earth am I not really shocked now?"  
  
"Because you already know it." Phoebe replied, in relief, that he reacted that calmly.  
  
"Is that so?" He still stared into Leo's direction. Okay, perhaps it was possible, that he knew this as Cole, but he also had a mystical shrine in his apartment. But as Kevin the whole affair was absolutely unreal and extremely odd.  
  
"Yes, he can teleport himself from one place to another." Phoebe tried to explain, while the others were silent.  
  
"Oh, that's really useful. That's the way you got Helen back into her office, isn't it? No wonder, that she can't remember." He said easier, than he really felt. "Are you able to do it, too?" He looked at Phoebe.  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"Well and was I able to do it?" He looked at Phoebe asking, he had such a strange feeling that he had been able to do something like that, too. But Paige was able to speak again and answered for Phoebe. "No, absolutely not." She didn't want to compare her orbing with his demonic shimmering.  
  
Cole turned to Paige. "Oh, are only extremely noble people able to do it?"  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders. She didn't want to answer his question.  
  
"Because you are able to do it, aren't you?"  
  
Now Paige looked at him astonished. "How do you know?"  
  
"Oh, that's easy. Peter couldn't understand, why you could vanish from a dead-end-alley." He looked at her triumphantly. "He'll be glad to hear, that it wasn't his fault, he was already rather depressed that you gave him the slip."  
  
"No Cole, you can tell him about it. You'll keep it to yourself." Phoebe said forcefully.  
  
"Oh, will I do that?" He looked at her provocatively.  
  
"Yes!" She looked back defiantly. "I won't allow you to write a story about it."  
  
Cole looked at her pitiable. "How shall I make a story of it? What should I write, that nobody would think that I'm crazy and see ghosts?"  
  
"I thought you are a journalist. Then you shouldn't be never at a loss of ideas." She replied offended.  
  
"Stop it, please." Piper interrupted their discussion. "We should better think about the real problem. Well I still don't believe, that Deacon cleared off. Finally the gate, the back door of this building and the door to his office were open. That isn't logical. If he had an appointment with Canterro, he would have closed them."  
  
"Well, that wouldn't help him much." Cole said ironically.  
  
"Yes, but he couldn't knew that." Piper explained thoughtfully.  
  
"But why do you care about Deacon?" Cole asked. "What has he done, that you have to rescue him at all costs?"  
  
"It's hard for me to admit it" Paige said and looked at Piper "But he is right for once. I also can't help wondering the whole time."  
  
Piper shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, I've the strange feeling, that there is more on it than meets the eye." She tried to explain.  
  
"Perhaps we should search for him in Canterro's office. Perhaps Deacon is still there." Phoebe suggested.  
  
"Or we could call there." Cole said and pushed the automatic re-dial. At the other end they heard the answering machine.  
  
"But that doesn't mean a lot." Paige said. "Perhaps they don't want that anybody disturbs them while their meeting and therefore Canterro switched on the machine."  
  
"That's possible." Piper replied and looked at her watch. "But we agreed to meet two hours ago. Even if he had an important appointment with Canterro, it would be time that he would come back."  
  
"Can't he fly there and look what's going on." Cole asked and pointed at Leo.  
  
"That isn't that easy." Phoebe explained. "Somebody could see him."  
  
Cole casted a glance at her, that showed that he didn't care about it.  
  
"But you are right. We'll have to go to the armament plant. And there we'll see if we are able to find out something." Piper said and turned to Phoebe. "You can go now, if you want. We'll manage it."  
  
"Are you sure?" Phoebe asked and when Piper nodded, she took Cole's hand and pulled him along out of Deacon's office.  
  
But when they entered the staircase, she looked at him and said. "Could you wait here for a moment?" She didn't wait for his answer and rushed back into the office. Her sisters and Leo looked at her surprised.  
  
"Leo, do you think you can give him anything of this powder that he'll forget what he has seen?" Phoebe asked, but he shook his head.  
  
"No, Phoebe. He is immune against it because of his programmed amnesia."  
  
Phoebe nodded, she had expected something like that. "Okay, then I'll have to manage it." She was convinced that it wouldn't be easy. Perhaps it was better to tell him a little bit of her life at least. But at the moment, she didn't know, how she could explain it to him, so that he wouldn't start asking again. She went back to Cole and silent they walked back to her car. 


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31  
  
"That means there is an element of truth in this mystic stuff, this shrine in my former apartment and you're medium thing?" Cole couldn't believe it and looked at Phoebe suspiciously. "And I used to believe in it?"  
  
"Yes, you have. But it's okay, if you don't believe in it anymore. It isn't important and you don't have to care about it anymore."  
  
"Oh, I don't have to do it." He shook is head. "Finally I've enough of that. No matter what I've done to you and to everybody in my past. You can't demand that I have to accept everything without asking any questions. I'm sorry, but that isn't possible."  
  
"I think I'll take you home." Phoebe said and started her car.  
  
"You are incredible!" Cole said and leaned back furiously. He couldn't understand her. But meanwhile he knew, that she was too stubborn now to tell him at least one word. But how should he face the facts. People, who are able to teleport around as it was possible in science fiction movies. "Your brother-in-law is able to beam around here and there and I have to take it without a question?"  
  
"If you hadn't absolutely had to come with us, you wouldn't have seen anything." Phoebe snaped at him angrily.  
  
"Wow, that was a wonderful explanation. Only you are able to give it." Frustrated he looked out of the window. They didn't say a word until they arrived in front of the building.  
  
Then Cole turned to her. "We won't go out this night, because I've found out, how strange your brother-in-law moves?" Cole asked and waited for her answer.  
  
"I thought, you don't want to go out with me anymore." Phoebe said astonished.  
  
"No, why?"  
  
"Well, because I can't explain it to you ..."  
  
"I'd say, you don't want to explain. But so what, meanwhile I'm used to it. Although I can't understand, that you allow this standing between us."  
  
"You won't believe me."  
  
"We might try as well!"  
  
Phoebe was lucky, when her phone was ringing at this moment. It was Piper again, who told her, that they couldn't get into Canterro's office, because there were too many people around. It seemed as if they were working on Saturday, too and nobody wanted to risk to be catched. But they had found a handkerchief with the initial of Michael Deacon in front of the building on the sidewalk. He had probably parked his car there.  
  
"Wait, one moment. Deacon has handkerchieves with his initial, I thought something like that doesn't exist anymore." Phoebe was surprised.  
  
"Well, luckily he still has some of them. And therefore we supposed that he has been there today."  
  
"Do you think he is still there?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"No, after we found the handkerchief we suddenly met one of Canterro's employees. He was very communicative and told us, that Deacon had an appointment with Canterro this afternoon and only a few minutes after it, Deacon set off again." Piper told her sister.  
  
"Mm, do you think Canterro followed and kidnapped him?" Phoebe asked sceptically.  
  
"Yes, it seems very likely. They have met in Canterro's office and the meeting didn't turn out as Canterro has planned. Then Deacon left the office and he followed him. The doors were open and Canterro could get into Deacon's office without a problem. Then he could kidnap him and take him wherever. He even didn't need the help of a demon."  
  
"Okay, that might be possible." Phoebe thought.  
  
"If I only knew, where he took him. I don't know, there is really more on it than meets the eyes, I feel it. We have already tried the pendulum, but nothing. And Canterro and his wife seem to be in their house in town. She answered the phone, when I called there. We wanted to look for Deacon there, but we don't want to attract their attention. I really can't tell you, why this matter worries me so much." Piper sighed.  
  
Phoebe thought about it. "Do you think Deacon knows more about it, than he had told us? And now he wanted to put Canterro under pressure?"  
  
Cole who was still sitting beside her, listened attentively and said. "Canterro could use this new substance and his problems with Deacon would be solved."  
  
Phoebe looked at him surprised and had to admit, that he was right. "Piper, there is another place, where Canterro could bring him. The Canterros have a property in the countryside and Cole thinks, that they have built an underground research center there. They've developed a remedy, which has the ability to erase a part of the memory." She told her sister.  
  
Piper listened attentively. "Do you think, they have developed a substance which works like Quasta's substance?"  
  
"It seems so." Phoebe replied. "And that's the perfect solution. He only has to inject Deacon a little bit of it and he won't be able to blab out anything."  
  
"Mm if he would really use Quasta's substance, he could also have it at home. We'll go to Canterro's house again, perhaps we find out something there. And you should try to get the address of their property in the country. I hope Cole will give it to you, then we can go there tomorrow, if it's necessary."  
  
"I'll try to get it." Phoebe said, but she already knew, that it was rather impossible, that Cole would give her the address without wanting to make his own investigations there.  
  
Piper noticed Phoebe's doubts and asked "Is everything alright with you? Does Cole come to terms with the situation in the office?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Well, I'm really sorry, Phoebe, but sometime or another it had to happen. He'll manage it." Piper said optimistically and when Phoebe didn't answer, she added. "But I don't want you to get any silly ideas. Don't search for this research center alone. The Canterros are dangerous and it's likely that they are dealing with demons."  
  
"Don't worry, we won't do it."  
  
After her call, Cole asked. "What won't we do?"  
  
"Spy out Canterro's countryside property alone." Phoebe told him. "You've probably heard, that they haven't found Deacon. And Piper takes this situation to heart, I really don't know why. She thinks that there is more on it, than we suppose."  
  
"And why doesn't she want us to make sure that everything is alright there?"  
  
"Because it could be dangerous. She's worried about me ... us."  
  
Cole smiled, of course! "We'll be careful." he said. "And if we don't find out anything, you won't have to tell her anything about it."  
  
Phoebe looked at him conspiring. "So you also think, that we should have a look round the property?"  
  
"Yes, or do you think we could enjoy this evening in a restaurant? And I wanted to go there and find out what's going on in any case. So why not today, together with you?"  
  
Phoebe had to admit, that he was right, he could go there alone, whenever he liked. This time she would join him and she would have the chance to protect and divert him from demons. Therefore she agreed and they went into his apartment to take the sketch of Paula Tremayne.  
  
Cole showed Phoebe the places, where Paula assumed the entrances to the underground laboratory.  
  
"It's highly probable that there is one entrance in the house and another one in an underground car park in a wood there." He pointed at the south. "Unfortunately we can't beam into the building like your brother-in-law, we'll have to try the entrance in the wood." He told Phoebe ironically.  
  
"Well, you could give me the address and I'll give it to Piper." Phoebe explained and was already sure, which answer she would get.  
  
"No, sorry, but I think that isn't a good idea, because I have my doubts, that your family would take me along with them." He looked at her asking.  
  
Phoebe shrugged her shoulders. She had tried it, now she didn't have another possibility, than to go with him. She looked at the address. "That's quite a distance, but we should reach it before nightfall. Finally we only want to take a short look at it." she said optimistically and grinned at him. "And we can stop at a drive-in somewhere on our way. Finally that's an invitation for diner, too."  
  
"Well I've imagined something else, but why not." He smiled back and both were happy, that their differences were settled for the moment.  
  
The property was nearly 75 miles away in a remotes rural area, which was sparsely populated. On their way they stopped at a small restaurant on the road. They already had enough time to get off the car and to sat down on a table at the window.  
  
Cole looked through the window and then he turned to Phoebe. "Didn't you tell me, that you don't believe in magic?" he started and looked suspiciously.  
  
"I can't imagine that I ever told you anything like that." Phoebe told him astonished.  
  
"You told me, that you don't believe in the magical power of this necklace."  
  
"That's true." Phoebe nodded and started to eat again. "I have bought this necklace, because I liked it and not because I believed in it's magical power. But imagine." She looked at him triumphantly. "It got you on to me, it led you to me, so there was magical power in it."  
  
"Well, if you see it this way." He still looked skeptically.  
  
Phoebe decided to tell him at least a little bit of her life. "Well, there is magic in the world. And I ... my sisters and me, we are witches  
  
He looked at her doubtfully. "Witches?"  
  
"Yes, but we only use our magical power to safe people of evil." She looked at him attentively.  
  
"Oh, I see, evil. And how does it work? Do you pull needles out of voodoo puppets an evil person had build?" He asked ironically. Magic, only the thought that something like this could exist was more than odd to him.  
  
"No, we protect them of black magic and other dangers." She didn't want to mention demons or the underworld. But she noticed, that he didn't believe a word. "But, so what, I've already told you, that you won't believe me."  
  
"Well, I try it, but everything seems to be too untrustworthy for me." He smiled at her conciliatory. "Can't you watch into your ball for fortune- telling? Perhaps you'll find out, where Deacon is at the moment."  
  
She smiled at him friendly. "Sorry, but I don't have it there. And we use the pendulum for this and it couldn't help us."  
  
"What a pity." He said sarcastically and added. "And which supernatural powers do you have?"  
  
"First of all I have premonition. I can see if people are in danger. Oh yes and I'm an expert in creating spells." She told him satisfied. "Oh, and I have the talent of levitation, that's really useful when I have to fight."  
  
"Yes, I have already noticed this." He told her cynically, when he remembered her attack in his office. "But nevertheless that doesn't sound very spectacular to me. Don't you have to offer anything else."  
  
"What are you thinking of?" She flashed at him angrily.  
  
"I don't know, at least riding on a magic brush."  
  
"You don't take it very seriously, do you?"  
  
"Of course I do, otherwise I can't find an explanation for your teleporting brother-in-law." Well he couldn't believe anything of this witch stuff, but before he wouldn't find a realistic solution for this phenomenon, he had to take it into consideration. "And you won't believe it, but some time ago I had a dream and saw you riding on a brush."  
  
"Really?" She looked at him surprised. Okay, it could be possible that he had seen her on a brush. She hoped, that wouldn't mean, that he would get back his memory and she was the key for it. Okay, she would manage this, too. But nevertheless she was afraid about it.  
  
"Then you probably believe in this heaven - hell thing, too." He looked at her asking.  
  
"Principle, yes. Why, don't you believe in it?"  
  
"No, of course not. Okay, it would be useful, if there was somebody at the end, who judges you for your deeds or better for your heart. But that's rubbish." He said convinced. "Just imagine, you would be in heaven together with this extremely noble boring people that would be the worst punishment for me." He told her laughing. "Although, if they asked me, this self- satisfied good-humans, who are convinced that they are the best people in the world, but at the same time they have a heart of ice, would go to hell. Well, that would be really a shock for them." He explained with a satisfied grin. "Most people have good and evil inside. It's only the question, if you have a strong conscience, which leads you to the right decision. But this heaven-hell-thing was only a treatment."  
  
Phoebe looked at him asking. "A treatment?"  
  
"Yes, of course. When the people disobeyd in former times, the church or the kings could direct them with their fear of hell. That was very useful and it worked. And imagine, slowly but surely hell would be overflowed with dead people. And heaven, too, I think." He grinned. "Just imagine, they have to shut it because of overcrowding. Where would the poor dead stay?"  
  
Even Phoebe had to smile of this imagination.  
  
"And besides, who wants to claim the right to judge who belongs to hell or heaven. Could you do it?"  
  
Phoebe shrugged her shoulders. "No, I don't think so."  
  
"Be lucky, otherwise I had asked you, where you would send me." He smiled at her inviting.  
  
She looked deep into his eyes, he couldn't suspect which mixed feelings his words caused to her.  
  
"But wherever I would have to go, as long as I'm together with you, I don't care about it." Cole explained seriously.  
  
"Yes I know." She muttered and was afraid, that he could see her worries in her eyes. She looked away and watched thoughtfully through the window. She decided to change the subject as soon as possible. "I think we should set off. I don't want to run through the forest when it's dark."  
  
Cole agreed to set off immediately. "Not a bad idea. Finally the Canterros are real."  
  
Phoebe wasn't really sure about it, but she preferred not to say anything. They left the small restaurant and set off for Canterro's property. The landscape became hilly and there were more woods and rural areas.  
  
After some time Phoebe said. "I think there it is."  
  
Cole looked at the right side. "This one with the prison wall? Yes that could be the right one, the wall is good to hide something."  
  
The wall was nearly 7 foot high and separated the site from the street. After a while they reached a gate and behind it, the street continued on the site. There was a machine for magnetic cards in the height of the car window. There wasn't another car on the street and Cole stopped the car and they got off to examine the machine.  
  
"I knew it! You can't open the gate without a card." Phoebe said.  
  
"Wait a moment." Cole put out the magnetic card of the chemical plant. He pulled it through the slit, but nothing happened.  
  
"Well, that's the wrong one." Phoebe told him disappointed.  
  
Cole already wanted to ask, if she couldn't open the lock with her magical power, but he restrained himself. "Perhaps we can find another way. Somewhere, where we won't attract too much attention. Only this site of the Canterros has such a big wall, most of the other sites even don't have a fence."  
  
"You're right. Let us get into the car again. We've to follow the wall until we reach the next site. Perhaps it's only along the street."  
  
When they reached the end of the wall, there was no wall and no fence anymore. A small way led on the ground and they took it. Cole stopped the car, after a while. On this place it was impossible to see the car from the street. They got off and walked back to the Canterro site. When they reached it, there was still a wall. It was similar to the other one, but made of bricks. They walked along the wall, but it was obvious, that it surrounded the whole site.  
  
"Do you think we can climb over it?" Phoebe asked sceptically, while she examined the wall.  
  
"Can't you jump over it?" Cole replied.  
  
"No, I'm sorry it's too high." Phoebe told him with a grim smile.  
  
Cole looked around. "Yes and I can't see a brush here." Cole said, but when he saw her angry look, he raised his hands. "I'm sorry, I'll stop it." He looked at the wall. "Mm the wall isn't very new. There are some gaps between the bricks and a few bricks are even missing. I think it's possible if there isn't bared wire on the top and no alarming system  
  
"Good, I don't think that they have an alarming system, which reacts on movement, otherwise they would get wrong alarm signals too often. Every animal or a branch could trigger it off." Phoebe said and looked at Cole. "Therefore you should try it."  
  
"Okay," Cole walked to the wall and started to search for a hold for his hands and his feet. When he had found them, he started to climb up the wall. Once he nearly lost the hold, when a loose brick fell down, but finally he reached the top. He pulled himself up and saw barbed wire in the middle of the wall. There was only a small strip, where he could stand. He turned to Phoebe and told her. "As I've expected, there is barbed wire."  
  
"Can you pass it?"  
  
"Mm," Cole looked at the wire, which obstructed the way to the other side. He looked along the wall and it seemed as if not far away, there was a hole in the barbed wire. "There could be a gap." He pointed at the place. "Let us go there."  
  
Cole balanced along the wall and Phoebe followed him on the ground. When they reached the place, he saw, that he had been right. At this place the barbed wire was missing. Cole helped Phoebe to climb up the wall and they squeezed past the wire. He let himself down to the ground and caught Phoebe, when she jumped down.  
  
When he held her in his arms he started to kiss her and muttered. "We are rather stupid to spend our evening here."  
  
"Yes, but you wanted to go here desperately." Phoebe told him.  
  
"You are right. I don't know, but I can't resist such situations." He looked at her searching. "Have I always been like this?"  
  
"Yes, I'd say so." Phoebe told him laughing "But that's alright."  
  
"Really, I thought you were searching for somebody, who is safe and solid."  
  
"Well, I've just changed my mind." She explained and looked him deep into his eyes.  
  
"I'm an idiot, what are we doing here?" Cole asked angrily, he could be together with her in his apartment, but no. "Let's go. We have to hurry a little bit, then we can vanish here again." 


	32. Chapter 32

Thanks for your reviews!!! It's always great to know that somebody is reading my story and that you like it. I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter, too.  
  
Chapter 32  
  
Cole and Phoebe looked around and decided to walk to the north, because they supposed to find the asphalt street there. There was no beaten path, therefore they had to climb over roots and to squeeze past shrubs. They got on slowly.  
  
"Damn it." Phoebe cursed, when she stumbled over some roots again. "If we don't find this stupid street soon, we'll have to go back again without finding out anything."  
  
"It isn't really late. The trees stand closely, therefore it's already so dark. But there in front of us it's lighter, perhaps that's the street."  
  
They walked on and reached the asphalt street. To the right it led to the gate, therefore they took the other direction. They wanted to have the possibility to hide behind the trees, if a car approached, therefore they walked along the trees. After a while the street disappeared into a tunnel, which probably led to the underground center. Phoebe and Cole stopped and looked at each other.  
  
"Do you think we should go there?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Cole looked back. "Mm, we haven't seen a car until now. But if we go there, we won't have the chance to hide anywhere."  
  
"I know." Phoebe said and looked into the tunnel. "But we don't have a choice, do we?" She asked grinning.  
  
"No," Cole shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, then let's go."  
  
They ran down and saw another gate in front of them.  
  
"Oh, no." Phoebe said angrily, when she saw the same machine, as the one at the street gate.  
  
Cole just wanted to try his magnetic card, when they heard the noise of a car behind them. They looked at each other horrified and searched for a place to hide. It was rather dark in front of the gate, and if the driver paid his attention only to the left side and the machine, he probably wouldn't look to the right. They crouched at the back edge and Phoebe hoped, that the driver hadn't switch on the spotlight yet. She looked up and assessed, if they would have a chance to escape into the wood. The driver would have to turn his car around or to get off his car first, therefore they would probably be able to manage it, if the driver didn't sound the alarm. But she was relieved, that there was a chance to escape.  
  
The car approached and they couldn't see spotlight. It stopped in front of the gate and the driver winded down the window. He used his card and didn't notice Phoebe and Cole. The gate started to open and the man got into the car park.  
  
Phoebe and Cole followed him in adequate distance, just before the gate started to close again. The man had already parked his car and got off. Phoebe and Cole hid behind the other cars and watched him going to a door in the back of the car park. When he disappeared, they breathed in relief.  
  
"That was a close shave." Phoebe said.  
  
"Yes, you can say that out loud." Cole said, but couldn't ignore, that such situations made him feel, that he was alive. He looked around and said. "I hope that they don't have monitors here."  
  
"Well, I can't see any." Phoebe said and walked brashly to the door in the back and Cole followed her. She opened the door and they were standing in front of an elevator.  
  
"It seems as if it's still going deeper." Phoebe said and pushed the button.  
  
Cole looked at her sceptically. "Do you really want to take the elevator?" He asked and looked around. "I think there must be a staircase somewhere."  
  
They found it at the end of the corridor and decided that it would be less conspicuous to use the stairs. They entered the staircase and looked down. There were some floors under them and on every one was a door to enter it. They decided to go to the deepest floor first. They went downstairs, when they suddenly heard that somebody opened a door and started to go upstairs.  
  
"Oh, I see, the staircase is safer," Phoebe whispered sarcastically, when they had to turn around.  
  
They tried to go upstairs again as noiseless as possible. When they arrived at the first floor under the ground Cole pointed at the door. Phoebe nodded and he opened it carefully. They heard a low squeal and entered the floor. Immediately they were standing in a bright enlightened corridor. There was the entrance to the elevator at the right end of the corridor and a door opposite to the staircase. When they looked to the left side, the corridor turned to the left and the right side. They decided to try the door. They listened carefully and when they didn't hear anything, Cole opened the door.  
  
They entered a dimly-lit room, which was a kind of a storeroom. There were shelves with all kinds of instruments, tools and other utensils. Cole stepped closer and examined some of the instruments. "What's that supposed to be?" he asked.  
  
Phoebe stepped beside him "I don't know." She said.  
  
Cole walked along the shelves and found finally something, what had a magical attraction for him. He took it into his hands and examined it. It looked like a protective glove and was made of wires and material. He put it on and noticed to his own surprise that it was difficult to see, that he wore it. Because it was made of materials, which were nearly invisible. He pushed a button with his thumb and a burning ball appeared in the middle of his hand. He already wanted to push the button again, when he noticed, that he didn't feel the heat of the burning ball.  
  
"Hey Phoebe, look at this one. I don't know, but I think I've seen something like that before. I just don't know where." He looked at it fascinated. "Oh, I remember, on this exhibition was such kind of lamp. But how can you use this one?"  
  
When Phoebe turned around the corner, she stopped terrified and trembled with fear. This sight was too familiar to her, she looked at him horrified. She just noticed, that Cole wasn't a demon again in course of time. "Oh my god, stop it." She led out panic, when she saw, that it was only an instrument, which formed the energy ball.  
  
Cole stared at her in surprise. He switched off the glove and walked to her. "What's going on?" He asked concerned and put his arm on her shoulder, when he was seeing her standing pale in the corridor. "It's only a burning hand lamp, or a oversized cigarette lighter or whatever it is." He tried to calm her down.  
  
"No, it's a weapon." She brought out.  
  
"A weapon?" He looked at his hand, but he didn't succumb to the temptation to switch it on again, because it had feared Phoebe so much. "Do you really think that's a weapon? I don't think so, you can only set fire with it."  
  
"Let's go, we shouldn't be here." Phoebe told him.  
  
Cole looked at her confused, what has changed, he wondered. "Don't you think we should use this opportunity to look around? Well, we've finally managed to get in here." He asked and looked at her piercing.  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "No, it's too dangerous. We don't know, what they'll do, if they find us here."  
  
He looked at her disappointed, probably he wouldn't get another chance to watch around. But he felt, that Phoebe was uneasy and that it wasn't a game for her anymore. "Okay," he said finally, "If you really want it, then let's go."  
  
Phoebe noticed, that he wasn't satisfied to go right now. But she had a funny feeling and she had to talk with her sisters about it first. Together they could go here again to look around, if it was necessary. And she didn't want Cole to be in on it. As it seemed, the Canterros developed weapons and other abilities like demons had. She couldn't imagine, that this energy ball would have the same power as a demonic energy ball. But she didn't want to find it out. "And put this thing back." she admonished him, while she listened at the door.  
  
Cole looked at the glove doubtfully. He just wanted to put it back to the shelve, when he changed his mind. He put it into the pocket of his jacket. He was familiar with this burning ball and nobody would notice, that it was missing. He wanted to take a close look at it at home.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe had opened the door and he followed her to the corridor. When they didn't hear anything, they went to the staircase. They went upstairs and entered the car park again. Nobody was there and less cars were standing around. They walked to the gate and searched for a button which would open the gate.  
  
After a while Phoebe asked angrily. "How do they open this damn gate?"  
  
"I don't know, perhaps a car has to drive over a special sensor, or something like that." They walked along the gate, but nothing happened.  
  
Phoebe looked around. "If we have to wait until a car is coming, we'll risk to be seen."  
  
"And it could take hours, most employees already went home, it seemed as if only the night shift is still here. Perhaps we should search for another exit."  
  
They walked along the wall of the car park and finally found a door at the opposite side. It was marked as a fire door. "Use it in emergency case only." Phoebe read. "Well, I would say this is an emergency case." She opened the heavy door and was in a small area with a ladder in front of her.  
  
Cole followed her and looked up. Behind them the door slam shut. Cole turned around and tried to open it, but he couldn't find a knob. "Well," He said. "we have locked us out. We can't go back."  
  
"And we don't want to go back." Phoebe replied and went up the ladder. When she arrived in the open, she noticed, that it was already late. She looked around and in the first moment, it seemed to her as if it would be pitch- dark. The sun had nearly set and through the trees didn't shine much light. But her eyes got used to the darkness with time.  
  
Short time later, Cole was standing beside her. Phoebe looked at him and asked. "Where are we? Do you know, which direction we'll have to take to reach the car?"  
  
Cole looked around he couldn't see the street or other landmarks from their place. They had nothing to go by. "Well," he started and didn't want to concede, that he also didn't know, where they were. He tried to imagine the location and the form of the car park and finally he decided. "We have to go there." He said more convinced than he really was.  
  
"Are you sure?" Phoebe asked and it seemed that she wasn't very convinced of his sense of direction.  
  
"Yes, of course, you know, men have the better sense of direction." He explained grinning.  
  
"Oh really? Don't make me laugh." Phoebe replied disdainfully.  
  
"Do you have a better suggestion? If we stand around here any longer, it'll get dark."  
  
They started to find their way through the trees in twilight. But their plan turned out more complicated, than they had thought. They stumbled over roots and branches scratched them. It was getting darker and darker and they didn't go on.  
  
When Phoebe got caught again on a branch, she stopped angrily. "It's no use," she decided. "I have to call for Leo."  
  
Cole stopped and looked back surprised. "Do you have your phone here?"  
  
"No, I've left it in the car. But I don't need it for this." She started to call Leo's name.  
  
"I can't wait to see, what will happen." Cole muttered and looked sceptically into her direction. It was difficult to see her in the twilight, but as he had expected, nothing happened.  
  
Phoebe looked around irritated. "I don't understand it, why doesn't he hear me?"  
  
Cole was biting his tongue not to say anything, while Phoebe went on to call for her brother-in-law.  
  
After some minutes with no result, Cole finally said. "Well, I don't want to put you under pressure, but it's getting darker and unfortunately Leo can't hear you even if he has the best ears ever, he won't hear you, because he is in San Francisco."  
  
If it had been lighter, Cole would have seen her compassionate look, but he only heard her contemptuous snorting. But to her irritation, Phoebe had to admit, that Leo really didn't hear her. She tried something else and to her dismay her foreboding was right. "Magic doesn't work here." She said horrified.  
  
"I see."  
  
"You don't know, what's the meaning of it. The Canterros have managed to block all kinds of magic on their property."  
  
"Well, that sounds really terrible." He told her sarcastically. "But this discovery can't help us at the moment. Soon it's pitch-dark here and we have no idea how far it is until we'll reach the car. And I don't talk about the wall and the barbed wire." He looked around angrily. "Perhaps I should switch on this burning lamp, oh excuse me weapon, to have some light. But I don't want to set the forest on fire."  
  
"You have taken it with you?" Phoebe asked him furiously. "I had asked you to leave it there."  
  
"But why? There was so much useless stuff, nobody will notice that the glove is missing. And I would like to have a close look at it at home."  
  
She shrugged her shoulders. Perhaps he was right and at the moment it was the least of their worries. They started to go on step by step. Cole went ahead and tried to force them their way through the wood. But short time later he heard Phoebe stumbling behind him. "Ouch, damn it, my ankle." she cursed. Cole turned around and saw her standing with one hand leaning on a tree. She held her food up and tried to move it.  
  
"Did you sprain you ankle?" He asked concerned and walked to her.  
  
"I don't know, but it hurts like hell, if I try to tread." She leaned up on Cole and tried it again. She clenched her teeth and said. "I'll try to walk on my injured food." But then she stopped and said. "But how shall I climb up the wall?"  
  
Cole looked at her doubtfully. "Mm, to tell you the truth, it's hopeless. I can't tell you for sure if the direction is the right one and if we've made the slightest bit of progress."  
  
"But what shall we do? Shall we stay here?" Phoebe asked and looked around not very enthusiastic about this imagination.  
  
"Yes, I think that would be the best solution. A snug night in the forest." He looked around and found a place under a big tree. He kneeled down and put his jacket on the ground. "It isn't so bad here." He told Phoebe and helped her to limp to the place.  
  
Phoebe looked down on the jacket sceptically. She kneeled down and examined the ground in the darkness. "Hopefully we don't sit on an anthill, that could be unpleasant." When she didn't find anything, she sat down.  
  
Cole sat beside her and they leaned on the big tree behind them. Cole put his arm protective around her shoulder and felt, that she was shivering. It would be cold in the night in the wood. "Are you cold?" he asked.  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "No, it's okay." She snuggled to him and listened into the night. "If there are still wild animals here?" She asked sceptically.  
  
"No, wolfs and bears are already exterminated, if there had been any of them here. And if there are still some, I'll use this dangerous burning weapon and they will put to flight immediately."  
  
"Don't make jokes about it."  
  
"Well it wasn't a joke." Cole was silent for a while, then he asked. "Why are you so afraid of it?"  
  
"It isn't as harmless as you think. Such energy balls were usually build of black magic." She tried to explain to him without mentioning demons or anything else. "If it is thrown on somebody, he'll burn immediately. It's not only the fire, but also the bad energy, power."  
  
"Mm," He didn't know, what he should think about it. The glove was purely mechanistic, there was no magic or anything like that. "And I thought, that you are only busy with such harmless things like tarot cards or joss stick or something like that."  
  
"Well, that are we doing, too, sometimes."  
  
"One of Helen's friends once gave her joss sticks as a present. To his honor she set it on fire, but the smell was awful. We nearly got a headache of it and then she couldn't put the damn thing out."  
  
"That was definitely cheap mass-produced goods." Phoebe told him.  
  
"Oh, that's great, I've to tell her about it." He laughed.  
  
"You really like her, don't you?"  
  
"Helen?" He noticed her nodding in the dark. "Yes, she is special, a really good friend, you have to get to know her better."  
  
"Mm," Phoebe looked up and searched for the sky. "If we ever find a way out of this forest." She groaned. "If we finally had full moon, then we could probably see something."  
  
"No, that wouldn't help a lot, here are too many trees." Cole said sceptically.  
  
She looked up again and had to agree, she even couldn't see the stars. She snuggled to Cole and sighed. "We had full moon one week ago, well we felt better that night."  
  
Cole smiled, when he thought about it. He couldn't believe that it was only one week ago. It seemed to him, as if he had always been together with her. "As long as you are by my side, I'm feeling good, even on an anthill." He didn't want to be on any other place in the world, than here together with her. It was strange especially after she had made him see red with her mystery-mongering. But he had already forgiven her and he was convinced that they would also find a way to solve this magic problem. He could just see her face in the darkness, he leant to her to kiss her passionately.  
  
Phoebe forgot the ants and the wild animals immediately and flung her arms around his neck. "Why must it be so uncomfortable and cold here?" She muttered. "Well normally I rather like to experiment, but here ... "  
  
"That's really a pity, but it's my own fault." Cole sighed. "Why didn't you stop me to go here?"  
  
"I don't think that it was possible to stop you. You've always done, what you wanted to."  
  
"I don't think so, I would do everything for you." He explained convinced. "I love you Phoebe."  
  
Phoebe smiled satisfied. If somebody told her one month ago, that she would have to spend a night together with Cole in a black forest and that she would be over the moon about it, she would have told him, that he is crazy. But it was the truth, she was happy. "I love you too Cole, but nevertheless I'd prefer to be somewhere else."  
  
"Where is your adventurous spirit and your nature-loving?" He asked with studied indignation.  
  
"Mosquitos will bite me all over and I could catch a tick, well, I can really imagine something better."  
  
"It's something else."  
  
"You're telling me?" She led her head at his breast and heard his heartbeat. "But you are right, it could be worse. I could be here together with Philip. I'm convinced he already panic."  
  
"I really can't understand, why you associated with him."  
  
"Mm, he wasn't that bad." Phoebe justified him. "And I wanted to check the theory: opposites attract."  
  
"Well then your experience defeated the whole theory." Cole told her satisfied.  
  
"Don't be so sure." Phoebe told him grinning.  
  
"What makes you say that?" Cole asked alarming and tried to look into her face.  
  
She laughed. "I don't talk about Philip and me. I talk about us. On one level we couldn't be more different, believe me."  
  
"Mm, and on which one?" Cole wanted to know. He couldn't imagine on which level this big opposite should have been.  
  
"I think it's better not to tell you."  
  
"Oh, really, I had expected this. And it's useless to go on asking, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, it is, you really learn quickly." She cuddled up to him.  
  
"Yes, I know. Do you know, I noticed already from the first moment, that I knew you, that there was something special between us. I felt, that we belong together, no matter how bitchy you were."  
  
"I wasn't bitchy." Phoebe said insulted and told him finally. "And to your rest, this opposite has changed today, okay?"  
  
They were silent for a while. Finally Phoebe said. "Cole?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Don't allow anything to come between us again, will you promise me?"  
  
"Yes, of course." He replied surprised, that she thought it would be possible that something like that could happen.  
  
Phoebe listened into the night and heard the trees rustling and the branches snapping. She could imagine the worst things, if she wanted, when she heard these noise. But at least Cole was sitting beside her. "Cole, can you try to divert me? Tell me something about Seattle." She decided.  
  
"About Seattle?" He asked not very enthusiastic, he could imagine something better.  
  
"Yes, I've never been there. How is it like?"  
  
"Okay, as you wish." Cole started to tell her about his life in Seattle and after a while he noticed, that she fell asleep. Obviously his story had been so boring, he thought amused. He listened to the noise of the forest and was convinced that he wouldn't sleep a wink all night. 


	33. Chapter 33

Thanks for your reviews!!! It's great that you like to read my story and it really helps me to continue to translate it.  
  
Chapter 33  
  
When Cole woke up next morning, he had to admit, that he had been wrong. He had slept for a while. When he tried to move, he led out a painful sound. He was absolutely tensed up.  
  
Phoebe wake up beside him, too. "Good morning." She said and yawned. She tried to stand up and groaned. "Oh my god, I think all my bones are broken."  
  
"Morning." He bent to her and kissed her. "I feel the same. I think it wasn't such a good idea to spend the night here."  
  
"We didn't have another chance. And well, it was quite idyllic and original."  
  
Cole looked at her surprised. "Oh, suddenly you like it here, after all our limbs are aching."  
  
"Yes, and if I get breakfast now, I'll be satisfied." Phoebe stretched herself relaxed and looked around.  
  
"Sorry, but unfortunately they don't have room service here. I really think they'll have to change that, if they still want to have guests over night." Cole and shook his head. "But I could try to find some berries." He told her not very convinced.  
  
"I have a better idea, let us vanish here as soon as possible, and go to the next restaurant."  
  
Cole looked around sceptically. Meanwhile it was getting light, but he couldn't see where they were. "If I only knew in which direction we'll have to go." He had to admit to his regret.  
  
"Oh, where is your wonderful sense of direction?" Phoebe asked gloating and stood up.  
  
"Well it seems as if I have lost it over night." He said excusing and looked at her concerned. "How is your foot?"  
  
She tried to step and noticed to her relief, that it hurt less. "It doesn't hurt more than the other parts of my body. It won't stop us." She looked around and tried to orientate, but that was rather difficult. "Where did we come from?"  
  
Cole showed her the direction. "I think we came this way." He walked there and took a close look at the surroundings. "Yes, we took this way, so we wanted to take the opposite direction. But if it's the right way?" He looked at Phoebe doubtfully.  
  
She walked to him and decided firmly. "Finally we'll have to choose one direction, if we don't want to stay in this wood forever. When we'll reach the wall, we'll know, that we are at the border. We can go along the wall until we'll reach the place, where we climbed over it. And if we see the house, we'll at least know where we are approximately. So let's try." They started to force their way through the wood again.  
  
Paige and Piper were standing in front of Cole's apartment nearly at the same time. They rang the bell, but waited in vain, nobody opened the door. "I've expected something like that." Piper said with concern in her voice.  
  
After they arrived at the house of the Canterros the day before, they noticed that the Canterros were at home. They looked around, and suddenly the door opened and Michael Deacon appeared accompanied from another man, probably Jared Canterro. They said goodbye at the door and Deacon walked along the gateway. The gate opened and he stepped on the street. He passed them by and didn't notice anybody. After that Piper took heart and spoke to him, when a taxi turned into the street. But Deacon just looked at Piper horrified and hurried to the taxi. He got in and the three looked behind him. Piper said convinced. "Quasta's substance." Paige and Leo nodded in approval.  
  
When they had arrived at home, Piper tried to reach Phoebe to tell her, that Deacon was fine, more or less. But she couldn't reach her. Piper tried it all night, but didn't succeed. With time she had feared that Phoebe and Cole went to the underground research center alone. Paige and Leo hadn't been able to locate her, but they had tried to calm Piper down, nevertheless she had a funny feeling. She couldn't sleep all night and in the early morning, she had finally persuaded Paige to orb them into Cole's apartment. Paige refused to do it and resisted on ringing the bell first.  
  
"So, now you can orb us into the apartment finally and stop making such a fuss of it." Piper said angrily, when Paige still didn't want to do it.  
  
"Cole never wanted me to appear in his apartment unannounced." Paige pointed out.  
  
"That was something else, you know that. So come on."  
  
Paige sighed and orbed them into Cole's living room. They looked around and saw a closed door. "Well, you can search in the bedroom." Paige told her sister and pointed at the door.  
  
Piper walked brisk to the door and opened it without knocking. She looked around in the room and said resigned. "Nothing."  
  
"You should be glad about it. I don't think that they would be very glad, when you rushed into their bedroom without knocking at the door."  
  
"Didn't you notice that you could have heard a pin drop?" Piper looked at her sister asking. "I knew that nobody is here. And if Phoebe had been here, I would have told her something. In case that she didn't react on my messages and I couldn't sleep all night, and she has slept here quite coolly." Angry about this imagination she went to the bed and took a close look at it. It was obvious, that nobody had slept here last night. "But they weren't here last night."  
  
Paige stepped beside her. "Perhaps they had spend the night in a hotel." She tried to explain it.  
  
"Well I really can't imagine why." Piper sighed. "I knew it. They had to go to this damn underground center. These idiots." Angrily she walked back into the living room.  
  
"If we only knew, where this site could be." Paige said. "Did she tell you anything about it?"  
  
Piper shook her head. "No, I think she even didn't know, when I called her. But perhaps we can find the address somewhere." She started to search on the table, but she only found the opened envelope with the report about Cole among the chaos of papers there. She took the documents and looked at them sceptically.  
  
"Well that to his promise not to care about his past anymore." She said ironically and waved the slips of paper.  
  
Paige sat down on the sofa and took them out of Piper's hand. "And what does it say?" She asked and started to read. "Well, that aren't a lot of information."  
  
Piper looked at her angrily. "I couldn't care less at the moment, help me to find this stupid address."  
  
"I hate to tell you Piper, but if they really went to this site, they would need the address. We won't find it here."  
  
Piper said down on a chair resigned. "I know, but what shall we do?" She looked at her sister asking.  
  
"Are you sure, that they are in danger?"  
  
Piper nodded. "Yes. Whether Leo nor you know, where she is."  
  
"You are right, we have to get this damn address." She stared into space and thought about this problem, when she just remembered. "Do Peter Willett and his girlfriend live here, too?"  
  
"I think so, why? Do you think, they know anything about it?" Piper asked sceptically. "I can hardly imagine, that Cole had told them something about it."  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "Let's find out."  
  
Piper didn't have a better idea and they left the apartment and searched for Peter's and Helen's flat.  
  
When they had found it, Piper looked at her watch. "I hope they already got up that early."  
  
"Soon we'll know." Paige said and rang the bell. They had to wait for a while until Peter opened the door. He looked rather sleepy and watched them confused. "Yes?" He asked.  
  
"Do you remember us?" Piper asked and when she noticed that he was nodding, she continued. "We were looking for our sister and nobody is at home at Cole's, do you know, where they could be?"  
  
"What?" Peter looked at them sceptically. He remembered, that they were Phoebe's sisters, but he didn't understand what they wanted form him on an early Sunday morning. "Probably they are still sleeping. It's rather early for a Sunday." He pointed out.  
  
"We couldn't see his car, but Phoebe's car is standing in front of the house. And therefore I think they drove away somewhere."  
  
Peter shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps they went out for breakfast or whatever."  
  
"Could we come inside for a while?" Paige asked and took the opportunity to get into the apartment, when Peter stepped aside. Piper followed her and Peter closed the door groaning.  
  
"Come with me." He told them and led them into the living room. Helen was already standing there dressed in her dressing gown. "What's going on?" She asked and looked at the two women curiously.  
  
"These are the Phoebe's sisters." Peter introduced them. "Paige and Piper." He was surprised that he remembered their names in the early morning. "They are looking for Kevin."  
  
"Good morning. I'm Helen." She said and asked. "Sit down please, do you want some coffee?"  
  
"No thanks." They sat down on the sofa, while Peter and Helen were sitting on the chairs.  
  
"We are looking for our sister." Piper told again. "She wanted to meet Cole yesterday, but when I tried to call her yesterday and this morning, I couldn't reach her. And when we rang at the door, nobody opened."  
  
"One moment." Peter said angrily. "Do you want to intimate, that he had done something to her?"  
  
"No, of course not." Paige calmed him down. "We are only worried, because we haven't heard anything of her yet."  
  
"Oh, otherwise she calls every hour?" Peter asked ironically.  
  
"Well I was there, when Phoebe arrived yesterday. And they were well at that time." Helen interrupted him.  
  
"Listen, we think they are in danger. Do you know anything of the Canterros?"  
  
Both shook their heads and Piper sighed. "I had already thought, that he hadn't told you anything about it."  
  
"About what?" Peter asked.  
  
Paige and Piper looked at each other, they knew that Helen had investigated about Harold Fleisher, therefore it was possible that she knew something unconsciously. They decided to tell them that Canterro, Fleisher and Deacon were in league with each other.  
  
Helen looked at the sisters and nodded. "Yes, I remember, he mentioned something like that yesterday."  
  
"And now Cole found out, that the Canterros are the owners of a site in the countryside. He supposed that they had built an underground research center there." Piper sighed. "And I fear that they wanted to look around there alone."  
  
Helen nodded. "Yes, that sounds like Cole."  
  
Peter looked at her irritated. "Since when do you call him Cole?"  
  
"Since I know, that that's his name." She told him and turned to Piper. "Couldn't you go there to check if everything is alright?"  
  
"Well," Paige said. "We'd really like to do it, but unfortunately we have no idea, where this damn site could be. Therefore we're here, we thought you know something about it."  
  
"Unfortunately not." Peter said and he was sure, that he wouldn't tell them anything, even if he knew where it was. He had a funny feeling about this women.  
  
But obviously Helen thought differently and said. "Perhaps I know, how I can help you to get this address." Piper and Paige looked at her expectantly. "Cole had a meeting with a woman of the building authorities yesterday. He told me, that she could help him."  
  
Piper and Paige asked Helen to contact the woman to find out more about her meeting with Cole the day before.  
  
Helen agreed and searched for Paula Tremayne's phone number. When she found it, she dialed the number and talked to Paula, after a while she wrote something on a piece of paper. When she hang up, she said satisfied. "I was right, Paula could tell me the address and she even gave me a description of the location." She wanted to give the note to Piper, but Peter stopped her.  
  
"No, Helen." He said and took the note. "We'll just tell them the address, if I can go with them." He grinned at Paige confidently.  
  
Paige sighed. "Don't you want to spend a nice Sunday together with your girlfriend?"  
  
He shook his head. "No, you've already spoilt it. I'm waiting for your answer, can I come with you?" He looked at them asking.  
  
Paige glanced at Piper, who shrugged her shoulders, they had no choice. "Okay, if you want to come with us, no problem."  
  
While Peter changed his dress, Piper decided to go home. She wanted to orb to the place together with Leo. Probably they would have already found Phoebe, before Paige and Peter would reach the site.  
  
At home, Leo and Piper looked at Helen's sketch. Leo decided to orb them into the wood, but when he tried it, nothing happened, they were still standing in the Halliwell Manor. He looked at Piper asking. "It doesn't work, I can't orb us there. This place is ..." He searched for the right words. "hard to comprehend." He looked at her with an excusing smile.  
  
Piper sighed. "Well, I knew it, there is something fishy about it. And the street in front of it?"  
  
Leo tried it again and short time later they were standing on the street in front of the Canterro site. They walked to the closed gate and took a close look at it.  
  
"Are you able to orb us onto the site from this place?" Piper asked, but Leo shook his head.  
  
"No, I don't know why, every kind of magic is blocked there." They looked at each other horrified. After a while they decided to walk around the site hoping to find Cole's car somewhere.  
  
Half an hour later they found it in the wood of the neighbour site. When Piper tried to open it, she noticed that it was locked up. She looked through the window and saw Phoebe's pocket lying inside. "Well, therefore she didn't answer my calls." She said and shook her head.  
  
Leo looked around and found the path, Phoebe and Cole had used the day before. He showed it to Piper and they decided to follow it.  
  
Short time later they arrived at the wall. Piper looked up "Do you think they climbed over the wall?"  
  
Leo nodded. "Yes, look there you can see that a brick is fallen down."  
  
"Okay, then we have to do the same." she said, not very enthusiastic about it.  
  
"Are you sure, Piper?" Leo asked sceptically. "We can't use magic on the other side. And we don't have any other weapons here."  
  
Piper looked at him resolutely. "Yes, and Phoebe is there and probably she is in danger. I won't let her alone." She took her phone and called Paige. She was just on the way together with Peter. Piper told her, that magic was blocked on Canterro's property and that they had to walk there. She described the location and where they could find Cole's car.  
  
Paige told her that they would reach the place in half an hour.  
  
"Okay, we'll go to the north to reach this asphalt street. If we haven't found them, before you arrive, you'll have to go to the west to search for them. And take your phone with you, to tell me what's going on." Piper urged her.  
  
"Okay, but I hope it won't be necessary. And be careful."  
  
After Piper's call Leo and Piper climbed up the wall and took the same way through the gap in the barbed wire as Phoebe and Cole did the day before. When they reached the other side, they looked around and walked northwards, because they supposed that Cole and Phoebe had chosen the same way.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe and Cole hadn't reached the wall yet. "I really have enough of this damn wood." Cole said annoyed, when they reached a small clearing.  
  
Phoebe looked to the sky. "And there are so many clouds that I can't see the sun, damn it." She sat down on a trunk to relax. "Do you think this damn wood is so huge, or are we only too stupid and run in a circle the whole time?"  
  
Cole sat beside her. "I don't know, it didn't seem that the wood is so huge on the map. But I also can't imagine, that we are running in a circle, we would have noticed." Cole looked around.  
  
"I don't know, but I think I can forget my breakfast. Perhaps we should try to mark our way."  
  
Cole put his penknife out of his pocket. "Well we could try it."  
  
"Do you want to carve the trees?" Phoebe asked, she didn't like this suggestion.  
  
"Yes, why, do you have a better idea?"  
  
Phoebe looked around and found a small heap of wood and twigs, probably a remnant of woodcutting. She asked Cole for the penknife and walked there. She started to cut the wood into small chips and filled her pockets with it.  
  
Cole took the glove and put it into his trousers pocket, then he filled chips into the pockets of his jacket, too. When they were ready, rays of sunshine fell on the ground. They looked to the sky in relief .  
  
"We are too far western." Phoebe concluded from the stand of the sun.  
  
Cole looked around and showed her the way. "Then we'll have to take this way." They grinned at each other, confident, that they would finally get out of the wood.  
  
Meanwhile Peter and Paige arrived at the other site due to Peter's speed, faster than Paige really wanted. She looked around, but she couldn't see anybody else yet. "Still nobody here." She said disappointed.  
  
Peter parked his car and walked to Cole's car. He looked around. "How did your sister and his husband come here?" He asked irritated, when he couldn't see any other car.  
  
"I've already told you, that they've parked the car somewhere else. And then they walked around the site to look for Cole's car."  
  
Peter looked at her sceptically. He didn't quite understand how the two could have been so much faster than he was. It was a miracle for him, that they had arrived here so much earlier to have enough time to walk around the site. But he didn't say anything.  
  
They walked along the path to the wall. And climbed up as the other four before them. They reached the other site and couldn't see anybody else.  
  
"Piper told me, that we shall walk western to search for Phoebe and Cole, if we can't find anybody here."  
  
Peter shrugged his shoulders. "What are we waiting for." They began to walk along the wall to the west.  
  
After some time Piper and Leo reached the asphalt street. They followed the street westwards in the shadows of the trees. Soon they arrived at the tunnel to the underground car park. They looked at each other asking.  
  
"Do you think they got inside?" Piper asked.  
  
"I don't know how, but as I know them, they may have found a way."  
  
They decided to run down, because they hadn't seen a car coming out of the car park yet. When they arrived in front of the gate, they took a close look at it. But when they couldn't find a way into the car park, they went back again.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe and Cole finally reached the wall and hugged each other effusively. "Fortunately, finally, I already thought we'd never get out of this forest." Phoebe said gladly.  
  
"You're telling me. I was already looking forward to another snug night in the forest."  
  
They walked along the wall and had to get out of the way of some trees. Suddenly they noticed that two people were coming towards them. Cole and Phoebe hid behind a tree. "There is somebody." Cole whispered.  
  
Phoebe looked past the tree cautiously, one of the figures who came towards them looked familiar to her. She looked closer and recognized to her surprise, that it was Paige. Luckily she jumped from behind the tree. "Paige," She called. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Paige looked at her surprised, too. "Well, I'm here to rescue you, what else." She hurried to her sister. "Piper had worried all night, because she couldn't reach you."  
  
"Unfortunately we have lost our way in the forest." Phoebe confessed subdue. While Cole stepped behind her.  
  
"Really? You have been in the wood all the time? All night? Well, that sounds rather idyllic." Peter said laughing.  
  
"Yes, it was. I can only recommend it." Cole told him, while he wondered, what Peter was doing here together with Paige.  
  
"I think I'll tell Piper immediately that I've found you, so she doesn't have to worry anymore." Paige said and dialed her number.  
  
"Piper is here, too?" Phoebe looked at Paige carefully. "I think she is very annoyed at me, because I went here despite my promise not to do it."  
  
"Yes, you can say that out loud." Paige said and listened to the phone. "Piper? We have found them." She looked at her sister and Cole. "Unharmed, as it seems." She spoke with her sister for a while. First Piper was relieved, but after a while she was getting angry about Phoebe.  
  
After her call, Paige told her sister. "Piper and Leo are near an underground car park. She has promised me to come back immediately."  
  
"Yes, we have also been there, too." Cole told her.  
  
Phoebe glanced at him and said. "But we'll tell you about it at home. I finally want to get out of this dreadful wood."  
  
"Oh, then it wasn't that idyllic, was it?" Peter asked sneering.  
  
The group walked back along the wall, when they suddenly heard some noise from the wood, barking dogs and steps. They stopped startled. "Are they searching us?" Paige let out.  
  
They looked at each other horrified and started to move on as noiseless as possible. But they didn't succeed. A herd of baking dogs and ten armed men stepped out behind some trees. 


	34. Chapter 34

Thanks for your reviews, I finally got them!!!  
  
Chapter 34  
  
The leader of the armed men took out a phone and said. "We have found the intruders. You were right, the signals came from this direction." He looked around triumphantly. "We'll bring them immediately, you can make the cell ready." He was silent for a while and listened. "Okay, no problem." He replied and turned to his prisoners, who were standing there and didn't move.  
  
"What do you want?" Cole asked. "We got onto this site by pure chance. We had no intention to come here. Don't make such a big fuss of it. We'll vanish immediately, don't worry."  
  
The man looked at him sneering. "When we checked the monitors this morning, we have seen that somebody broke into the underground car park last evening. I think, you don't want to claim, that it wasn't you." He looked at Phoebe and Cole triumphantly. "I recognize you. And now you've brought strengthening with you. Luckily we've found you before you could try it again. Although you won't have any chance against us."  
  
"Thanks for the warning." Paige said ironically.  
  
The man didn't take a note of her and asked the group. "Whom did you call in the building?"  
  
"Nobody!" Paige brought out.  
  
"Don't dare to lie to me." The man shouted and in the first moment it seemed as if he wanted to hit her. "Signals radiated from this position to the building. Whom did you call? Out with it!"  
  
The four didn't say a word.  
  
"Where is the phone." He looked at them threatening.  
  
Paige fiddled around in the pocket of her jacket and took out the phone. She didn't want to risk that the men would catch Leo and Piper, therefore she threw it over the wall. "You can go and get it" She told the man triumphantly.  
  
But immediately he slapped in her face, before someone else could do something. "You bitch." He snarled. "Take off your jackets and come on here." He ordered.  
  
Phoebe noticed that Cole wanted to oppose the order, but she looked at him and shook her head. In view of 10 armed men and without magical help, they wouldn't have any chance. They had to wait for a better opportunity to escape. And she really hoped there would be one.  
  
Cole understood her look and took off his jacket reluctantly. They put them on a heap and a man started to search them. "Nothing." He told his boss after a while. "Only a penknife and some wooden chips."  
  
"Okay, then let's go."  
  
"Don't we search them?" The other man asked surprised.  
  
The leader laughed sneering. "As far as I know demons don't need weapons."  
  
Paige and Phoebe looked at each other irritated. Why did this guy think they were demons? Luckily it didn't even register with Peter and Cole.  
  
"But you are right, there is no harm in trying. Perhaps we only picked up some mortals." He turned to his prisoners again. "Hands up!" He ordered brusque.  
  
While their discussion Cole had discreetly slipped the glove on his hand and took his keys out of his trousers pocket. They had to folder their hands over the back of their heads and Cole hoped that the guy wouldn't notice the glove or the keys.  
  
The man searched them not very enthusiastically and said finally. "Nothing interesting." He gave Peter's car keys to his boss.  
  
"As I expected." The leader said satisfied and led his prisoners through the wood. To Paige's relief they didn't see a trace of Piper or Leo. She hoped that they were already at the cars and would come to the right conclusion. Hopefully, they would find a way to rescue them.  
  
Suddenly they were standing in front of another entrance to the underground building. They entered it and walked along countless corridors until they arrived in a prison block. There was a prison cell and the men pushed them into it and locked the door. It was a rather big cell without any light, so that the back was lying in darkness. Shadowy they could see some plank beds.  
  
After the men disappeared, Paige hurried to the door. She examined the lock and tried to open it. "I think we have no chance to open it." She said angrily.  
  
Cole stepped beside her. "Why did you have to call your sister at all costs?" He snapped at Paige.  
  
She looked at him angrily "As if it would be my fault, that we are here. Remember, I didn't have to break into the underground car park, that was somebody else."  
  
"They would have never noticed us, if you hadn't called. We would already be off and away."  
  
"I had to tell Piper about it." Paige justified herself. "And, come to that, you had to go here at all costs." She flashed at Cole.  
  
Because of their quarrel they didn't notice that something moved in the back of the cell. A figure sat up on one of the plank beds. "Belthazor?" They heard a voice, but the addressed person didn't react and the creature came closer. The four looked at him partly horrified, partly surprised. The creature was about two meters tall and his skin was blue gray metallic. His long hair had the same color. On the first sight it seemed as if he was ill, but his hypnotizing shining eyes revised this assumption. He seemed to be covered with liquid metal.  
  
When he was standing beside Cole, he spoke to him again. "Belthazor, it's you." He said.  
  
"What?" Cole looked irritated at the creature. Much as he would like to, he couldn't imagine, what that was. Probably one of Canterro's Frankenstein breeding, he thought revolted.  
  
"Don't you remember me? It's me, your old friend Partas, we have worked together in the fifties. Well, that were times."  
  
"Oh, really?" Cole looked at the creature still sceptical. Of course, in the fifties, he wasn't even born then.  
  
Partas shook his head. "Now I know, what's the problem, we have always worked together in the human world and therefore you only know me in my human form. But I don't succeed to maintain it here." He looked at Cole admiring. "But you don't have any problems with it."  
  
Cole smiled at him friendly and spread out his arms. "As you can see."  
  
"And nevertheless they managed to catch you." Partas said gloating.  
  
"You, too."  
  
"Yes, unfortunately."  
  
Phoebe stepped closer, she hoped Cole wouldn't believe anything of it. "What are they doing with us?"  
  
"Haven't you listen anything of the rumors in the underworld yet? A mortal tries to steal our powers."  
  
Cole and Phoebe shook her heads duly.  
  
"Where did you be the last time?" Partas looked at them disbelieving. "They try to keep it secret. But it is obvious, that we've lost a lot of demons lately. And witches aren't responsible for it, that is clear."  
  
"Then the Canterros are to blame for it?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Who?" Partas looked at her confused.  
  
"The Canterros. We are in their secret underground research center at the moment." Cole told him.  
  
"Oh, then all our demons are vanishing here. I didn't know where I am. As you've noticed we can't use our powers here. I don't know this Canterro, do you know him Belthazor?"  
  
"Of course, why do you think, I am here." Cole said self-satisfied.  
  
"I've heard that they test our powers and if they don't suit them, then it will be over." Partas ran his hand along his throat, that was a clear gesture. "And I suppose they'll make short work with mortals, too."  
  
He stepped closer to Cole and hoped the others wouldn't hear him. "Are that demons, too?" he asked. "They don't look familiar to me."  
  
"Of course, what are you thinking of?"  
  
"Well, some rumors came to my ears, about you, you know."  
  
"Rumors? What kind of rumors?" Cole asked curiously.  
  
Partas hesitated. "Well, you know it, the underworld is buzzing with rumors. I heard the wildest speculations."  
  
"Really? And what do they say?" Cole asked and looked at the creature piercing.  
  
"You know, just such things. That you got involved with a witch and changed the sides." Partas smiled excusing. "Some said that she belonged to the Charmed Ones."  
  
"It's hard to believe!"  
  
Phoebe listened powerless, she was paralyzed and her head was empty. She didn't find a way to stop Partas. She looked at Paige begging.  
  
Paige groaned and told Partas. "Do you really think we believe anything of this rubbish? We have other problems now, we have to find a way to escape."  
  
Cole turned to Paige with a smile. "Well, do you know Paige, I'm interested in it. I want to hear which rumors are going round about me." He looked at Partas with the order to go on.  
  
"That's it!" Partas continued, because Cole's friendly smile spured him on. "It was even claimed that you've become the leader of the underworld and she was your queen. And then contradictory it was said that the source took you over."  
  
"It's unbelievable." Cole was a thankful listener and Partas didn't want to disappoint him. "Yes and things went on like this. First it was said that you've become immortal with the most powers a demon ever had and that you wanted to reorganize the underworld and then somebody said that the Charmed Ones had vanquished you. And when we didn't hear anything of you, we thought that this rumor was finally true."  
  
"Well as you see, it was wrong, too. Finally I'm still alive."  
  
Suddenly they heard some noise in the corridor. Some men were coming to the door.  
  
"Oh no, they are coming for me." Partas wailed and looked at Cole begging. "But you'll get us out of here, won't you?"  
  
Cole glanced at him, while Paige whispered. "Don't show them your powers." She supposed that these people wanted to find out more about Partas' powers. And if they couldn't find out, Partas would have a better chance. Partas fought against the men, but he didn't have any chance. The men put him on a chain and led him away.  
  
Meanwhile Paige wondered, why she has given a demon a tip-off, while Phoebe was angry that the men couldn't come to take Partas earlier. At least before he started to tell his novel about the rumors in the underworld. She was convinced that she would have managed the talking about demons, but how should she explain the other things to Cole? She groaned, perhaps they would never get out of this place, then the problem would solve itself.  
  
Cole looked behind Partas, then he turned around. "What was he getting at?" He wondered and gave Phoebe a challenging look. When she didn't say anything, he continued. "What was the meaning of this idiotic nonsense?" He stepped closer to Phoebe, but she still didn't answer.  
  
Peter groaned and took pity. "My god, are you slow in uptake, or don't you want to understand?" He looked at Cole asking. "This creature was a demon and he had the opinion that you are a demon, too. Oh no, stop, he knew you from the past as Belthazor." He said and looked thoughtfully. "I could guess, that I have heard this name before."  
  
"But that is rubbish." Cole said angrily. "If I was a demon, I would know it."  
  
"Do I have to remember you, that you don't remember anything?"  
  
"But if I had supernatural powers, I would have noticed already." Cole told him angrily. "And I wouldn't say that I look similar to him."  
  
Peter shrugged his shoulders. "Mm, I don't know, sorry, I'm not an expert. I have no idea about demons. You should ask your new girlfriend. It seems as if she has more experience than I have." He looked at Phoebe ironically.  
  
Cole turned to her, too and it was obvious that he waited for an answer, when Paige interrupted them and asked. "Don't you think that we have other problems?" She looked around. "We have to find a way out of this cell. And among all the rubbish, Partas told us, you probably heard, that they'll make short work of humans."  
  
Cole turned to her and smiled coldly. "But then you don't have to worry, finally you've magical powers. They won't care where they come from, as long as they can use it."  
  
"What? You are demons, too?" Peter asked horrified and stepped back to be on the safe side. He looked at the sisters sceptically.  
  
"No, we are witches, we are the good one's." Paige tried to convince him. "Don't worry, demons are our deadly enemies."  
  
"Alright then." Peter said, although this fact didn't calm him down.  
  
Meanwhile Cole turned to Phoebe again and said softly. "So that was the level with the big opposite, wasn't it?"  
  
"Cole, please not now." Phoebe slowly found her self-assurance again. "That isn't important at the moment. We have to escape, don't you have any idea?"  
  
The four looked at each other and were at a loss. Suddenly, they heard steps in the corridor again.  
  
"Well it's to late to try a breakout." Cole said, when a watchman appeared at the door together with some other armed men.  
  
"Come to the door slowly, one after another." He ordered calmly. But when none of them started to move he started to get angry. "Are you hard of hearing?" He asked and turned to Paige. "Hey you, if you don't come to the door with your hands up immediately, we'll start to shoot at you." The other men took up their arms. Paige sighed and stepped to the door. The man handcuffed her and the other followed her one after another.  
  
"Well, at least we are still together," Paige told her sister lowly. They were led along the corridor to a big hall.  
  
The prisoners looked around in the room curiously. There was a big cage in the middle of the hall. The bars of the cage were nearly invisible as if they were made of a bright shining light. The cage took up nearly the whole size of the hall. Partas was standing in the middle of it.  
  
Outside of the cage there was a grand stand at the end of the hall opposite to the prisoners. Some people in white coats were sitting there with writing pads in their hands. They seemed to be very important, especially one man who gave the impression that he was more important than the others. He wore a suit and his aura was overbearing.  
  
There was a machinery and a control desk at the right side of the hall. A man was standing in front of it, obviously he was responsible for the smooth run of it. There was a symbol above the desk. It was the same sign, Cole had seen in the Chemical Plant, but it was much bigger.  
  
"Take him first." The man in the suit stood up and walked to his prisoners. He pointed at Cole. "That will be a great fight." He said satisfied and walked back to his former place.  
  
One of the watchmen led Cole to the cage, while the others were standing in front of the wall. Their handcuffs were fastened on a hock at the wall. Cole looked back to Phoebe concerned and she looked back not less concerned. What did the man want of him? she wondered.  
  
The man at the control desk pushed a button and an entrance at the edge of the cage opened. The watchman took the handcuffs away from Cole and pushed him into the cage. The entrance closed immediately again.  
  
"What's next?" Cole asked angrily and looked at Partas.  
  
"You can use your powers in this cage." The man with the suit laughed. "But don't think that you can shimmer away, the cage will hinder you."  
  
Shimmer away, whatever that may be, Cole thought and looked around. There was a small ray shining from the iron symbol into the bars of the cage and spread out there.  
  
"Now you can start to fight. Show us something, the winner will get a reward. And that will be release according to his power." The man said cynically.  
  
Cole turned to him. "Do you really think we are that stupid?" He asked him. "You'll let us go, that's a good one. You don't expect us to believe that, do you?"  
  
Before Cole got an answer, Partas formed an energy ball in his hand. Cole turned to him and looked fascinated at the ball. It was similar to the artificial one in a frightening way. Partas threw it at Cole with lightning speed. But he trusted his instinct and stepped aside immediately. The energy ball crashed into the bars, although there would have been enough space to let it through.  
  
Cole stared at Partas horrified. Finally he could understand, why Phoebe had called this ball a weapon. If he had to fight, he wouldn't have any chance. Finally he didn't have any magical power, as far as he knew. "Are you crazy?" He snapped at Partas. "They'll never let you go. You are a fool, when you believe that."  
  
"If they notice how powerful I am, they'll understand that it'll be better not to start fighting with me." Partas stared at Cole fuddled. He didn't want to risk to be defeated by the powerful Belthazor.  
  
"Okay Partas. Energy ball. Do you still have any other powers?" One man asked, who was sitting on the stand taking notes the whole time.  
  
Partas didn't need to be asked twice. He only heard a voice in his head cheering him up to show everything. He formed a metallic ray from his crossed hands. This ray had the power to squash his enemies. Cole escaped the ray, because he followed his instincts and dismissed his mind. He had to react without thinking. He suddenly knew, that he was already used to such situations and he only had to trust his natural reflexes. He escaped Partas' ray time after time.  
  
Partas looked at him irritated. He couldn't understand why Belthazor didn't defend himself. Did he thought, that he, Partas, wasn't powerful enough to beat him? That he would be able to defeat him without his powers, Partas thought angrily. Finally he was getting more and more furious.  
  
Phoebe watched it frightening. She knew, that Cole couldn't defend himself and despite of the size of the cage, it would be impossible to go out of Partas' ray for a long time.  
  
Meanwhile Paige dragged at her handcuff, but she couldn't free her hands and Peter looked at the show as if he would watch a movie. "Well, would he be able to defeat himself, if he wanted?" He asked and looked at Paige thoughtfully. When she shook her head, he looked back to the cage and said gloomy, "Oh, then he has bleak prospects, .... and me, too."  
  
"Use your powers." One of the men yelled at Cole. "Partas has told us, that you are a powerful demon, too. Show it to us!"  
  
Cole ducked again. "To give you the chance to study my powers? No, thanks, you can wait for ages." The rays out of Partas' hands were coming faster and faster and Cole knew, that he wouldn't be able to escape them any longer. When Partas attacked him the next time, he jumped aside, but he was too slowly, the ray caught him and pushed him against the bares. They bored into his back and he didn't saw the chance to escape.  
  
"Defeat yourself!" A woman on the stand cheered up. "Turn into your demonic form."  
  
Okay, I would do it, Cole thought, if I only knew, how? Everything went black because of the pressure.  
  
"Oh my god, you have to do something!" Phoebe screamed horrified to the people on the stand. "He won't defeat himself. If you don't do anything, he'll die." She said desperately.  
  
The people on the stand looked at each other and it was obvious, that they tried to view the situation. There was hardly a chance for Cole to escape the ray, even with his powers. And they didn't want to loose the powerful demon, Partas had told them about. They wanted to see which powers he really had and they would never see it, if he was dead. The man in the suit nodded to the man at the control desk and he pushed a button. Partas' ray disappeared and Cole fell groaning to the ground.  
  
"Take him out of the cage." The man ordered and pointed at Partas.  
  
The demon looked at him satisfied. "Am I free now?" He asked. Two watchmen entered the cage and handcuffed him again. They led him out of the cage and one of them told a younger man, "Take him to the prison block two."  
  
"What?" Partas looked at the man on the stand angrily and started to fight. "You can't cheat me that easily." He dragged at his ties. He pushed one of the watchman aside and the man crashed against the wall. Now the other watchman used electric shock and managed to get Partas out of the hall.  
  
When the door closed behind them, the man in the suit stood up and walked to Phoebe. "So you care about this demon. That's interesting." He looked at her speculatively. "Partas took the view that you are witches." He glanced at Paige.  
  
This damn gasbag, Phoebe thought furiously. "And if that would be true?" she asked coldly. He looked at her with an arrogant smile.  
  
"You bastard. Let us go." Paige snapped at him. "Who are you anyway and what do you want from us?"  
  
"You don't know, who I am?" He looked at her disappointed. "My name is Jared Canterro and I think you know, what I'm doing here. Otherwise you wouldn't be here, would you?"  
  
They looked at him surprised, but didn't say a word.  
  
"Witches," He said thoughtfully. "We haven't had witches here before. But why not. Of course we are interested in your magical powers, too." He started to laugh. "I don't want anybody to claim that we're only interested in black magic. I think I would also like to use white magic. Perhaps I'll feel a little holier then." It seemed that he thought his joke was very funny. But Paige and Phoebe couldn't laugh about it.  
  
"Very funny!" Paige said cutting.  
  
The man turned to her. "I'll care about you later, at the moment she is more interesting for me." He looked at Phoebe again. "You and your ... boyfriend or shall I say lover?" He grinned and continued. "I have never thought that witches are allowed to feel anything for demons."  
  
Phoebe didn't breathe a word and looked at Cole, who recovered slowly. He was still sitting on the ground and took the glove out of his trousers pocket. He slipped it on and stood up. He hoped, that he would be able to pretend to have magical powers with this glove. He looked around and saw that the bars of the cage weren't shining anymore, they looked like usual iron bars. He stared at Canterro's symbol and followed the ray which now stopped in the control desk. He was sure that there was a connection between the seal and the magic in the cage.  
  
Meanwhile Canterro still waited for Phoebe's answer. But she didn't do him the favor to talk.  
  
"Alright, it's just as well. But I want to inform you, that I'll use it." He grinned at her nastily. "Do you think he'll show us his powers, if you are in danger?" It was evident, that he was glad to notice Phoebe's horrified expression.  
  
Cole took note of the sentence, too, and wondered, what he could do. He hoped that there would be a chance for him to safe Phoebe despite his lack of magic powers. "She doesn't mean anything to me." He tried to convince Canterro. "I'll never show you my power." He said as cool as possible.  
  
"Well, we'll see." Canterro said satisfied and took the handcuffs away from Phoebe.  
  
Meanwhile Paige still tried to free herself. Her hand was already grazed, but she didn't want to give up to get to the hock at the wall. Finally she could touch it with her fingertips. She tried to loosen it, but it was hopeless. It was firmly fastened at the wall, a lot of demons had already tried to loosen it before, but didn't succeed. But Paige couldn't stop to try, it was the only thing she could do.  
  
At the same time Leo and Piper arrived on the other site and walked back to the cars. To their horror, they had seen armed men in the wood and they had to take a longer way to get out of their way, but luckily they didn't notice them. When they finally reached the cars, they looked around astonished. Nobody was there.  
  
"I can't believe it, where are they?" Piper looked around and felt uneasy. "Paige had told me, that they are on their way back and that everything is alright."  
  
Leo shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps you should try to call her again."  
  
Piper took Leo's advice and suddenly they heard a ringing not far away. They followed the noise and found a damaged phone lying on the ground. Piper picked it up and looked at Leo horrified. "What's happened? Do you think the armed men had caught them?"  
  
"But why is her phone here?"  
  
"Perhaps Paige had thrown it over the wall. Probably she hoped that we'll find it."  
  
They looked at each other and sighed. "If we like it or not, we'll have to go there again."  
  
"But it's dangerous, Piper. We won't be able to defend ourselves, if they catch us."  
  
"Yes, that's it, and they probably caught my sisters. What do you think, I should do? Shall I wait here quite coolly?"  
  
Leo knew, that he wouldn't be able to stop her and therefore they walked back to the wall.  
  
"And the positive thing about it is that the others can't use magic, too." Piper said optimistically.  
  
"But guns, pistols, ..."  
  
"Well, we'll manage it. Finally we are used to worse things, aren't we?" Piper asked confidently. 


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35  
  
Canterro led Phoebe to the cage and told her confidentially. "It isn't easy to study magical powers. Mostly you can't use or copy them and that's really a pity. Therefore I had to find other ways. But we have found a few things, which are very useful." He took something out of his pocket.  
  
"And I thought you are interested in my magical powers." Phoebe tried to divert him.  
  
He bent to her and whispered into her ear. "Don't worry, if everything goes as I suppose to go and your demonic friend goes along with it, nothing will happen to you. And I'll care about your powers later."  
  
Phoebe watched closely at the thing in Canterro's hand and recognized an injection and a phial. "Do you want to steal my memory?" She asked shocked about this imagination.  
  
"No, that wasn't my plan." He looked at her interested and smiled, when a thought occurred to him. "You and your witch friends have killed the good Quasta, haven't you? Well, I don't take it amiss." He told her cooly. "This demon was a failure and I didn't need him anymore, since I'm able to produce his substance. But no, I'm not interested in your memories." He raised up the phial to show it to Cole. "That is an interesting remedy. I could produce it with the help of the demon Nevantos." He looked up and smiled at Cole. It was obvious, that he waited for his reaction.  
  
"Very exciting!" Cole said, of course this demon didn't mean a thing to him. He shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, but I can't know every demon."  
  
"You don't have to put on an act. I know that you know what it's all about." Canterro turned to Phoebe. "But if you don't know it, little witch, I'll explain it to you. This substance..." He pointed at the phial "..will paralyze all your body." He gave one of the men a sign and the man came closer to hold Phoebe, while Canterro took the injection in one hand and the phial in the other. He started to fill the injection with a pink liquid.  
  
"It's a special kind of paralysis. If I inject it in your foot, first your feet will go numb, then your legs, your thigh and it will be especially unpleasant, when it'll reach the digestive system. But even worse, when it'll reach your heart, because then it'll be over." He grinned nastily. "I could also start with your hands, but then we won't have the fun with the digestive system. Or I could start with your head, but that is boring, the end would come too fast." While his lecture Canterro ran the injection along Phoebe's body.  
  
"Leave her alone, I don't have any magical powers." Cole told him angrily.  
  
Canterro lowered the injection and looked at him. "That's all very well, but Partas told me something else. And even I have heard of the powerful Belthazor."  
  
"Well, I'm really sorry, it's a mistake, Partas was wrong." Cole tried to convince him.  
  
Canterro shook his head as if he weighed Cole's words. "Can you tell me, why I can't believe you?" He asked sneering.  
  
Because you're a damn idiot, Cole thought angrily and looked at Phoebe frightened. He had only one weapon, this energy ball glove. He remembered, what Phoebe had told him about this imitation of a demon energy ball, that it probably wouldn't have any magical power. And if that was right, this artificial ball would be able to leave the cage. That was his only chance. Cole pushed the button and the burning ball appeared in his hand.  
  
"Finally." Canterro said delighted "I'm glad, that you came back to your senses. But you'll have to show me something more spectacular, if you want me to let her go." He gave up Phoebe for the moment and gave his undivided attention to the cage.  
  
Cole pushed the next button and the ball released of its anchorage. It felt familiar to hold this energy ball in his hand and he knew, how he would have to use it, without thinking. He hoped this artificial ball would work the same way as a demonic energy ball, otherwise it wouldn't be wise to trust his instincts. He ignored his doubts and took aim to the space between the bars of the cage in front of the control desk. Then he didn't loose time and threw the ball into this direction.  
  
As Cole has expected, the space was big enough to let the ball pass the bars, no invincible barrier stopped it, as it had happened to Partas' energy ball. It left the cage and crashed into the control desk. Everybody in the hall was paralyzed. Cole noticed, that the small ray of the iron symbol was shining into the whole halland the bars of the cage didn't shine anymore. But he saw an open exit now and he rushed through it to get to Phoebe before the people got over their shock.  
  
Canterro stared at the control desk and couldn't believe it. "But that is impossible." He moaned. "Magical powers can't leave the cage."  
  
"But mine." Cole said cold as ice and turned to him. He formed a new energy ball on his glove, but before he could throw it at Canterro, he hid behind the stage. And the watchman, who had held Phoebe let her go horrified. Cole threw the ball into the wall behind them and turned to Phoebe concerned. "Are you okay?" He asked.  
  
She nodded and hugged him in relief.  
  
Suddenly another watchman appeared and waved around with his gun in front of them. Cole looked at him and whispered threatening. "Do you really think you have any chance with your little gun against a powerful demon and a witch?"  
  
The man looked at them frightening and ran away immediately. Phoebe looked around and saw that a board of the paneling got out of place because of Cole's energy ball. She showed it to Cole and they went there without any problems. Nobody cared about them, because of the chaos in the hall. They pushed the board of the wall covering away and hid in the space behind the paneling.  
  
Meanwhile Paige had watched the whole situation disbelieving. It was beyond her, why Cole was able to throw energy balls again, and why they were so powerful, that they could even leave Canterro's cage. In all the excitement she didn't notice, that the hock and the handcuffs opened because of the explosion of the control desk. But Peter had heard a faint click and noticed to his surprise that he could free his hands from the wall. He tried to tell it Paige, but she still stared into the direction of Cole, who had just built a new energy ball and threw it into the wall. It needed some time, until she noticed, what Peter was telling her.  
  
She freed her hands and wanted to go to Phoebe and Cole, when she heard Canterro yelling to his men. "Destroy the symbol to stop the magic here." The men started to shoot at the symbol at the wall and Paige knew, that she had to act soon. If the use of magic was possible now, that would be their chance to escape. She looked to Phoebe, but couldn't see her anymore. She looked around, but she was gone. Therefore she took Peter's hand and they orbed away together. She supposed that Cole had already shimmered Phoebe and himself away to get them out of danger, finally it seemed as if he was a demon again.  
  
When Phoebe heard Canterro's order, she understood that Paige was their chance to escape. She pushed the board away carefully, but when she looked into Paige's direction, she only saw Paige and Peter disappearing in blue light. Damn it, she thought angrily, why didn't she think about this earlier, it was logical, that it was possible to use magic in the whole hall. Phoebe sighed, she had missed their chance to escape.  
  
"I think we are in a kind of ventilation shaft." Cole told her lowly. "But they'll find out soon where we went into hiding."  
  
"I don't think so. We only have to vanish inconspicuously."  
  
"Well,of course they are idiots, but nevertheless Canterro isn't that stupid."  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "No, they'll suppose that you shimmered us away."  
  
"That I what ...?"  
  
"Teleported us to another place, like Leo or Paige."  
  
"Well, I'm really sorry, but I can't serve with it." He whispered angrily.  
  
"Yes, I know, but they don't know it." Phoebe told him.  
  
"The symbol is destroyed." Somebody said in the hall.  
  
"Better than nothing." They heard the voice of Canterro. "Belthazor and the witches could escape. Damn it! But I'll get them. Put everything right here first. I'll take care about the other things later." A door opened and closed.  
  
Cole and Phoebe looked at each other. "What did I tell you? He thinks that we are gone." Phoebe said. They looked around in the narrow shaft and started to creep on all fours along the shaft. They got on slowly. But then the air shaft ended and branched off into two directions. Phoebe, who was first, didn't know, which direction she should choose, but then she heard that somebody pulled at the board of the paneling behind them. She took the left way without thinking, because she was afraid, that the man could look into the shaft and see them. They stopped for a while and listened, that somebody repaired the wall covering. After a while he was ready.  
  
Phoebe tried to look back at Cole, but it was too narrow to turn around. Therefore she decided to try the direction she had already chosen. The ground of the shaft was made of fine-meshed iron bars. They could look onto the corridor under the shaft. Some people walked along, but nobody had a motive to look up. They crept along the shaft as noiseless as possible. After a while the shaft ended. Phoebe stopped and Cole who couldn't see what was in front of them asked. "What's the problem?"  
  
"The shaft ends there. There is another shaft, but it goes up and down and there isn't a ladder or something like that." Phoebe looked down into the depths, but she couldn't see the ground.  
  
"Could you try to pull yourself up somehow?" Cole asked.  
  
Phoebe looked up doubtfully, but there wasn't another possibility to vanish, therefore she decided to try it. She turned around to her back and started to pull herself up slowly. She searched for a hold and noticed that there was a grating in this shaft, too. Luckily it was wider than the other one. She could find hold in the spaces and pulled herself up until she was sitting. Then she searched for a foot hold, what was more difficult. But finally she managed it and climbed up. She knew that only one wrong step and she would loose her hold and fall into the depths. But she forced herself not to think about it. She reached the first floor over them, but she didn't want to creep through an endless shaft again. Therefore she continued to climb up. Cole followed behind her.  
  
When Phoebe had finally managed to reach the top without falling down, she noticed something unpleasant. There wasn't an exit, the shaft was narrowing and there was only a small hole at the top, it was impossible to get through it. Disgruntled Phoebe pulled herself into the shaft beside her. But to her relief it was wider as the one before. She even could stand up. She did it and waited for Cole, who appeared immediately.  
  
Together they walked straight on, until a barred window blocked their way. They could watch into a room with a lot of machines and ventilation fans. But they didn't see anybody, therefore they pushed against it together and after a while, the grating fell into the room. Nobody noticed it, because the noise of the machines were so loud, that you couldn't hear anything else. They climbed into the room and Cole saw a man standing there turning his back to him. It was obvious that the man didn't hear anything, because he had ear plugs. Cole walked to him carefully and hit him on the head. The man fell to the ground with a groan, nobody could hear.  
  
"Is he unconscious?" Phoebe shouted because of the noise.  
  
"I think so, but to tell you the truth, I don't have a lot experience with it." Cole yelled back.  
  
Phoebe looked around and found sticky tape and some cables to tie the man's hands and feet. Then she put a piece of sticky tape on his mouth. "I hope the shift won't be over too soon. I mean, not before we vanished here." She said and checked the ties again.  
  
Meanwhile Cole was standing at the door. He opened it and looked into a small corridor with a steep staircase at the end. There was only the energy room on this floor. When Phoebe stepped beside Cole, they entered the corridor and walked upstairs carefully. On the top, they saw a closed door to the left and an office with a big window at the other side. The entrance to this area was opposite to them.  
  
They kneeled down and hoped that nobody would notice them, when they would creep to the exit. On all fours they crept along under the window of the office.  
  
"Finally I'm feeling like a dog." Cole said grumpy, when they could get up again. They were standing in front of the exit and Cole opened the door.  
  
To their astonishment, they could go out of the building and the wood was right in front of them. There was a little parking lot at the left side and just two cars were standing there. Cole and Phoebe stepped out of the door and to their relief they couldn't hear any alarming signal. They rushed behind the trees and looked around. They had left a small building behind the underground car parking. It was probably used for mechanics to check the quality of the air and other jobs for the underground research center. Everything was quiet and peaceful and it seemed that nobody had noticed their escape.  
  
"We should make off quickly." Phoebe decided. "I don't want to stay another night in the forest."  
  
"As you wish." Cole said and they started to force their way through the wood southwards.  
  
"Well I think meanwhile I should know this forest, but I still don't know, where we are." Phoebe said after a while.  
  
"Mm," Cole let out, but didn't say anything else and got on grimly without saying a word.  
  
Phoebe sighed behind him. She didn't know, what he thought about the things he had just seen with his own eyes. "Is everything alright with you?" She asked carefully.  
  
"If everything is alright?" Cole started to laugh. "Of course, everything's fine, just fine. Finally you didn't get to know that you are a demon every day."  
  
"Cole, you don't have to believe everything Partas had said..."  
  
Cole turned around and raised his hand to stop her from talking. "No, stop it, I don't want to hear your lies anymore. Don't fool me, I know that it's true." He stated calmly.  
  
"You ... you know it?" Phoebe stared at him surprised and had to control herself not to ask him, if he could remember again.  
  
"Wow, you should have seen your facial expression." He said dryly. He knew, that it was right, what Partas had told him. It was the truth that he had been a demon, although everything supernatural was absolutely new to him today. But he couldn't ignore, that he was instinctively used to it. He didn't want to accept it and he couldn't understand it, but he had to deal with it and he didn't want to hear Phoebe's lies anymore. He looked at her and noticed, what she wanted but didn't dare to ask. "No," He put her out of her misery. "I can't remember. But nevertheless I know, that it's true." He smiled uncertainly. "Although I can do without being a demon, especially without any useful powers."  
  
"But you aren't a demon." Phoebe tried to convince him, but when she saw his annoyed expression she added. "Anymore."  
  
"Oh!" Cole heard it to his relief and his horror. She confirmed his theory, but he didn't know, how he could deal with this situation. But nevertheless he was glad, that she finally told him the truth. "That means, you admit, that I've been a demon?"  
  
"Half-demon" She tried to put into perspective. "Your father had been a mortal."  
  
"Demon, half-demon, what's the difference?"  
  
"Well, there is a big difference, you've been half human, you had a soul."  
  
"Oh and other demons don't have one?"  
  
"No, of course not!" Phoebe said astonished about his ignorance. "Or why do you think they are able to enjoy it so much to kill and torture innocents?"  
  
"Well, as far as I know, Canterro has a soul and nevertheless he likes it, too." Cole replied dryly.  
  
"I don't say that every human with a soul is good, but that is something else."  
  
"Well, that's a matter of opinion." He said and remembered Paige's comment the day before. "And I was able to do it, too, wasn't I?"  
  
"You have suppressed your human part." Phoebe tried to explain to him, but she didn't like this talk at all.  
  
"And that was so easy?" He couldn't realize, that he should have done such things, killing people, that was unimaginable, absolutely strange, unthinkable. When she didn't answer he told her angrily. "You should have told me."  
  
"What? You wouldn't have believed anything of it anyway."  
  
"So what!" Cole shook his head, he couldn't believe that she had lied to him all the time.  
  
Phoebe looked around and said. "Don't you think that it isn't the right moment to discuss about it. We should try to find the way out of this damn forest. We have to vanish here." She looked at him begging.  
  
Cole nodded and turned around. "You are right. Let's go." He also wasn't very keen on talking about it any longer. He didn't want to think about his former actions, he preferred to concentrate on their escape through the wood.  
  
Finally the surroundings looked familiar to him and it wasn't very difficult to find the way to the wall. Sometimes they heard some noises of other people, but they were far away and didn't cross their way.  
  
When Peter and Paige arrived beside the cars, nobody was there. Paige looked around concerned, while Peter stepped back horrified. "How ... how did we come to this place?" He asked and looked at her astonished.  
  
"I orbed us here, what do you think?" Paige declined. "This little witch trick still shocks you, after everything what happened?"  
  
Peter tried to think about his feelings. Even for him, the movie freak it was much too unreal to believe anything of it. "That's why you got out of this dead-end-street." He said more to himself.  
  
Paige didn't listen and looked around. "Where are the others?" She asked concerned. "Piper and Leo wouldn't go away without us."  
  
When she had just said this sentence, they came out of the wood towards them. They had climbed over the wall and had walked through the wood to get to the underground car parking. But there were too many armed men everywhere and Leo could persuade Piper that it would be senseless, when they would be caught, too. They should go out of danger and try to find a better plan, how they could help Phoebe and Paige, if they were really arrested. Piper had agreed with a heavy heart and they walked back.  
  
"Piper!" Paige ran to her sister and hugged her effusively. "I'm so glad, that you are alright."  
  
"Me, too. Where have you been?" Piper asked and looked around. "And where is Phoebe?"  
  
"Canterro had taken us prisoner." Paige explained. "He is crazy, he keeps demons prisoner to study their powers."  
  
Piper looked at Peter, but he didn't care about the comment. "And how could you escape?"  
  
"When it was possible to use magic for a while, I took my chance and orbed us away."  
  
"And Phoebe and Cole?" Leo asked.  
  
Paige groaned. "I think Cole has demonic powers again."  
  
"What?" Both asked more than surprised.  
  
"I know it sounds unreal, but I've seen it with my own eyes. He had thrown an energy ball."  
  
Leo shook his head. "But that is impossible."  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "Well, nothing is impossible, remember, we talk about Cole. In any case they vanished and despite everything I think that he shimmered them out of danger."  
  
"And where?"  
  
"I don't now, obviously, they aren't here. Perhaps to San Francisco." Paige supposed.  
  
"Do you think he has kidnapped her?" Piper asked alarmed.  
  
"Rubbish!" Peter interfered. "They hid behind the wall paneling." He told them.  
  
Paige shook her head. "No, I don't believe that. Why on earth should they do it, if they could escape that easily?"  
  
"Perhaps he has forgotten how to do it." Piper supposed hardly convinced.  
  
Paige turned to Peter. "Are you sure, that they didn't vanish?"  
  
He nodded. "I've seen, how they climbed behind the paneling."  
  
"And why didn't you tell me anything about it?" Paige snapped at him and watched his blank look. "My God, I have left her there." She looked at Piper and Leo helpless.  
  
"Perhaps he had shimmered them away later." Leo tried to calm her down.  
  
"No, this guys wanted to stop the use of magic again."  
  
Leo looked at her confused. "I can't explain myself, how they manage to switch the use of magic on and off, that is impossible."  
  
"There was a control desk and a symbol over it on the wall, the same symbol, Cole had sketched. I don't know how, but they were responsible, that you could use magic in a cage in the middle of the hall, but not outside of the cage. But when Cole had destroyed the control desk, we could use magic in the whole hall. But they wanted to destroy the symbol to stop magic again." Paige tried to explain.  
  
"I think we should care about this problem later. At the moment I only want to know, where Phoebe is." Piper looked back to the path to the wall. "Do you think we have to go back there?" She asked, but wild horses couldn't make anybody to go there again.  
  
They still thought about the problem, when they heard somebody coming towards them. Seconds later Phoebe and Cole appeared. Piper ran to her younger sister. "Phoebe, I'm so glad, that you are alright, I was worried." She hugged her happily and forgot, that she was actually angry about her.  
  
"Well, Paige had to disappear without us." Phoebe said and had a nasty look at her sister.  
  
"I thought he would be able to ..." Paige tried to justify herself.  
  
"No, he isn't." Cole told her and trudged to his car.  
  
"Well I think it's more difficult to form and throw an energy ball." Paige yelled behind him.  
  
Cole turned around and threw the glove to her. "Now you're able to do it, too." He told her dryly and got his keys out of his trousers pocket.  
  
Meanwhile Paige looked interesting at the glove. "What is it?" She asked thoughtfully, when she couldn't imagine what it was.  
  
"You can form energy balls with it." Phoebe explained and looked at Cole, who locked up his car.  
  
"Why do you still have your keys?" Peter asked astonished. "They have taken my keys away from me." He looked wistful to his car. "I don't know, how I can manage to go home."  
  
"Well it isn't so easy to take the keys away from a real demon." Cole turned to Phoebe and corrected himself. "Sorry, half-demon." He got into his car and didn't care about the others.  
  
"Cole!" Phoebe rushed to him and kept the door open.  
  
He shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it at the moment." he told her firmly.  
  
Peter, who was standing behind Phoebe, looked over her shoulder and asked. "Can I come with you?" In no case he wanted to stay alone in the forest together with this ominous figures.  
  
"Okay, but you have to keep your mouth shut."  
  
"Although it's against my temperament, I don't think that it'll be a problem for me today." Peter walked to the front passenger door.  
  
Cole locked it up and Peter got in. "And your car?"  
  
"Well I'll think about it tomorrow." Peter decided.  
  
Cole turned to Phoebe again and said. "I think it won't be a problem for you to come home."  
  
"No," Phoebe said and Cole closed the door. They drove away and Phoebe looked behind the car until she couldn't see it anymore.  
  
"That means, he doesn't have demonic powers again." Piper asked in relief.  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "No, but he knows it now and that's bad enough."  
  
Piper walked to her sister and put her arm around her shoulders. "It's understandable, that it isn't easy for him. Give him a little bit time." She turned to her husband and Paige. "Let's go, I really have enough of this forest." She said and the four orbed back home.  
  
Peter and Cole didn't say a word on their way home. When they arrived in front of their house, they walked to their apartments and Cole asked. "What will you tell Helen about this day?"  
  
Peter shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, to tell you the truth I can't believe anything of it. And Helen won't believe anything of it, too. Perhaps I shouldn't say a word and go to bed. Tomorrow I'll be convinced that it was only a nightmare."  
  
Cole smiled. "Yes, that's a good idea."  
  
"Do you think it's the truth, I mean ... well ... that you have been such a demon?"  
  
"In any case I'm no demon today." Cole said, because he didn't want to discuss it. He said goodbye and went to his apartment.  
  
After he entered it, he walked into the kitchen and searched for some alcohol. He found some bottles and looked at the alcoholic content. He chose the bottle with the highest, took a glass and walked to the balcony. He sat down and put the glass and the bottle on the table beside him. He filled the glass and put off his shoes. Then he put his legs on the balustrade of the balcony and started to drink. He didn't want to think about today's incidents and he hoped the alcohol would help him to forget all about it.  
  
Cole had a strong suspicion and oddly it haunted him more than the fact that he had been a demon who had killed innocent people. The things, Paige and Phoebe had told him, when they had first met, the letter in Phoebe's casket, his disappearance, Partas words, all this together were the reason for his horrible speculation that Phoebe was involved in his murder or that she had even killed him herself. He couldn't understand why he was still alive, but no more he could understand anything of this madness. He supposed he wasn't a demon anymore because of his alleged death, but what was the meaning of it?  
  
Cole sighed and finished his drink. He topped himself up again and watched to the dusk. How could she bring herself to kill him? Perhaps he did understand it in this letter, but he couldn't forgive her now. Finally if you really love somebody, you won't be able to kill him, he thought angrily, or better he won't be able to do it. He couldn't imagine what had happened to bring her to this point. But no less he could imagine that he had enjoyed to kill people. Could he have changed that much? Or what was the meaning of being a demon?  
  
Cole drank up and poured out again, although he didn't like the taste anymore. Angrily he continued to drink, it couldn't take too long until he would forget everything, finally he hadn't eaten anything all day. But he couldn't stop his painful thoughts. The glass was empty and the bottle, too, but his head was still in a whirl. A crazy thought occurred to him, but what was the meaning of crazy, after all this insanity. He had remembered, why he knew the name Belthazor. He had had this nightmare about a red black monster. But that couldn't have been himself, or could it? Had he looked like that in his demon form. He had to laugh, that was like a bizarre unending nightmare. Only the imagination, that he had been this red catcher monster and had run around to kill people could only happen in an abysmal bad movie.  
  
Furiously he took the glass and threw it against the wall of the balcony. It smashed into pieces, which fell on the ground. He looked satisfied at the destruction and sat up to go into his apartment. He tried not to step into the broken pieces and walked into the kitchen. There he couldn't find anything high-proof anymore, therefore he took a bottle of wine and a bottle of beer and walked back to the balcony. When he arrived there, he forgot the broken pieces on the ground and stepped into it. Swearing he sat down and tried to pull the splinter out of his foot. Then he took one bottle into one hand and the other into his other hand and began to drink by turns left and right until they were empty. It wasn't a real treat, but after a while to his relief he finally noticed that the alcohol had an effect on him. He walked to his bed and laid down to fall asleep. 


	36. Chapter 36

Thanks for your reviews !!!! I'm so glad that you still like to read it. Okay, here is the next chaper, I hope you'll like it, too!  
  
Chapter 36  
  
When Cole woke up next morning he had a headache. He felt awful and decided not to drink the next time, he wanted to forget his problems. He took a shower and changed his dress. Then he took a headache pill, before he went to his office. He thought that work would be a good deflection.  
  
Until lunch time he avoided successfully not to think about the events the day before. But then Helen appeared in his office just before his break.  
  
"Hey, what are you doing here? Are you already working again? I thought you should be at home and relax." Cole said.  
  
"Yes, you are right, I should be at home, but I felt shut in. Therefore I passed by to check some things."  
  
Cole nodded and wondered, what Peter had told her.  
  
"Peter isn't here at the moment and therefore I want to ask you to spend your lunch break with me." She smiled at him friendly. "If you don't have any other plans."  
  
"No!" Cole decided and switched off his computer. "Let's go."  
  
They decided to buy something to eat on the roadside and to go to the park to be undisturbed. They walked into the park and searched for an empty bench. It wasn't difficult to find one at this time and they spread themselves out, that nobody would get the idea to sit down beside them later.  
  
They ate their snacks silently, when Helen finally started to speak. "Listen, can you tell me, what has happened yesterday?" She looked at Cole requesting. "Peter had told me a lot of rubbish about demons and witches. Please tell me, that he's made it all up."  
  
Cole smiled and looked straight on. "Well, I'd like to. But do you want to know the truth or the modified one?"  
  
"Truth? Just tell me what's happened."  
  
Cole told her about Canterro's underground center and that he kept demons prisoner to study their powers to make them available for himself.  
  
"Canterro this bastard. I'm convinced that he is responsible for my accident, too. Well it seems as if he is worse than every demon."  
  
"I'd say equal." Cole said thoughtfully.  
  
"Demons? Are you really sure that anything like this exists?" Helen asked disbelieving.  
  
"We've only met one of them, he was metallic green blue gray and he wanted to squash me with a ray out of his hand. So if you ask me, yes!"  
  
"And your girlfriend and her sisters?"  
  
"They are witches, they fight for the good in the world." He told her sarcastically. "It's up to you, what you understand by it."  
  
They were silent for a while and Helen tried to accept what she had heard, but it was rather impossible. "And what's with you?" She asked finally.  
  
Cole laughed dryly. "I thought Peter didn't want to talk about it. Well it seems as if I've been one of them, too. I mean one of the evil ones, of course."  
  
"How could you become one of it?"  
  
Cole shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, if they were created or whatever. But I was a demon by birth. My mother was one of it."  
  
"That's cool!"  
  
Cole had a critical look at her. "Hardly, I doubt it."  
  
"I'm sorry." Helen said in excuse.  
  
"No, perhaps you're right. Not everybody can finally say that his mother is a demon. Of course that was great, when I had bad grades at school, I could send my mother there and she had grilled the teacher." Helen looked at him sceptically and he added. "Yes and later, I could do it on my own."  
  
"And where is he now?" she asked.  
  
"The demon? I don't know. Whether deep inside of me or in hell to pay for his atrocity." Cole said ironically.  
  
Helen laughed. "You don't take it serious, do you?"  
  
"What shall I do? That's unbelievable for me, but nevertheless I know that it's true." He looked at Helen thoughtfully. "What are you thinking of me now?"  
  
"You are the same as before for me. Finally you aren't a demon anymore." She told him firmly. "But I can hardly believe anything of it."  
  
"Me, too, but I have to if I like it or not."  
  
"Can you manage it?" She asked carefully.  
  
"What? That I've been supposed to kill innocent people?" He asked and saw her soft nod. "Don't know, it's too far away, too unreal, that I feel guilty for that. I don't feel as if it had been me." He tried to explain to Helen. "Probably it would be different, if I could remember, but I can't." He shrugged his shoulders. "I can't realize it. And I didn't feel the urge to kill anybody last year." He said with a grin.  
  
"I thought as much."  
  
"I mean, of course I'm no angel, but no devil, too. I don't feel attracted of evil or anything like that. And don't want to rule the world, or whatever demons want to do. I even never wanted to take over the paper." He looked at her uncertainly. "Well, I think the Mafia would have been harmless."  
  
Helen shook her head doubtfully. "How I get it, you didn't choose your parents." Cole looked at her sceptically. "I mean you were born on the wrong side." She explained him. "That wasn't your fault and in the end it seems as if you have decided for the right side."  
  
"I don't know," he raised his eyebrow doubtfully. "I think I have just done it because of Phoebe."  
  
"But the matter isn't important. And today you are good." Helen confirmed him.  
  
"Thanks, I really appreciate it." He said and smiled weakly.  
  
"But you can't get it out of your mind." Helen stated.  
  
"No, but it isn't just that. She lied to me, Helen." He explained angrily.  
  
"My God Cole. What should she tell you?"  
  
"Well, how about the truth?"  
  
"Of course, and you would have believed every word, wouldn't you? Hey, nobody would have done it." Helen looked at him thoughtfully. "But there is something else, isn't it?"  
  
Cole looked straight on and said finally. "I think she had killed me."  
  
"What? Who? Phoebe? What makes you think of that?"  
  
"It all adds up. This letter and this stupid drivel 'You are dead, we'll vanquish you again', my disappearance. I'm sure they have killed me and probably it was Phoebe herself."  
  
"But you aren't dead. And why on earth do you think she would do anything like that?"  
  
"What do you think why? Because the evil demon was evil again, or something like that." He explained angrily. "And why am I still alive? I don't know, probably their damn spell went wrong. Perhaps they wanted to send me to hell, but unfortunately I came up in Seattle. But I'm sure, they were convinced that I was dead."  
  
Helen looked at him sceptically. "I think you have to talk about it with her, instead of jumping to conclusions."  
  
But Cole's problem was, that he didn't assume that he was only jumping to conclusions. He was convinced that he was right and he didn't want to hear, why Phoebe had considered it her duty to kill him.  
  
When Cole was sitting at his desk in the afternoon, the phone was ringing. It was Phoebe.  
  
"How are you?" She wanted to know.  
  
"Wonderful, never felt better. What did you expect?"  
  
Phoebe groaned softly. "Listen Cole, could we meet after work? I want to show you something."  
  
"Yes, no problem."  
  
Phoebe told him the meeting place and continued. "Tell me, is everything alright with Peter?"  
  
"I haven't seen him today, why?"  
  
She humed and hawed and said finally. "We have to be sure that he won't make it public."  
  
"Don't worry, Peter has more important things to do. He won't tell everybody." Cole said a little angry. "Nobody would believe this madness. And nobody of us is interested in making a story of it."  
  
"Don't get cross. Sorry I asked!" She said and continued. "Paige would like to offer him to orb him to his car, if he wanted to take it."  
  
"Sorry," Cole said, because he knew, that he overreacted a little. "I'll tell Peter about it, but I've my doubts that he'll accept her offer." He grinned. "He is a little bit afraid of you."  
  
"Well, but if he wants to go there alone, that will be more dangerous, believe me." Phoebe explained. "Tell him that he'll have to be careful." She said and said Cole good bye.  
  
Late in the afternoon Cole set off to the meeting place. He didn't know the address and looked around astonished, when he arrived. Phoebe had asked him to come to a cemetery. When he saw her, he walked to her and asked amused. "We are meeting at the cemetery?" He looked at her shaking his head. "Couldn't you find a better place? Or do you want to tell me anything with this meeting place?"  
  
Phoebe took a close look at him and noticed to her relief, that he looked quite normal, only a little exhausted. Luckily she gave him her hand and he took it willingly. "I want to show you something, come on." She led him along a path to a mausoleum. She entered it without hesitation and Cole followed her.  
  
He looked around. The mausoleum was spacious and a few ornate tombs were standing there. Cole saw some dust and broken pieces on the ground. "What do you want to show me?" He asked and walked around. "I hope you won't tell me, that I have slept in one of this caskets in the past."  
  
"No, of course not, finally you haven't been a vampire." She said easily annoyed.  
  
"Oh sorry, I don't know demon habits anymore. Okay, what do you want to show me." He looked at her curiously.  
  
"That!" Phoebe showed him a tomb. "That is your father's grave."  
  
Cole surprised walked to it. He kneeled down in front of it and read the inscription. When he saw the year, he stopped. "1888? My father died in 1888." He looked up confused. "When was I born?"  
  
"1885" She told him calmly.  
  
"I see! Well then I had a lot of time to be up to no good." He said soberly. "1885, for over hundred years I look good for my age, well- preserved."  
  
"Demons don't grow old."  
  
"I almost thought that." He looked at the inscription again and stood up. "But now I'm doing it."  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Yes, you are a mortal now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"What why?" She looked at him asking. "Why you are a mortal now?" She sighed. "There was the decision that you should have another chance, a chance to live your life as an ordinary human, therefore you can't remember."  
  
"And who did decide that?" He looked at her piercing. "I don't think you, after your attitudes towards me in the beginning."  
  
"No, not me. They decided it and because you don't believe in heaven or hell, leave things as they are."  
  
Cole didn't want to discuss it with her. He turned to the grave of his father and ran his hand over the lid. "So he got involved with a demon."  
  
"Yes, but I would think, he didn't know it first."  
  
"But later he knew it?"  
  
"I think so, but I don't know it for sure. You have never talked about it. He died when you had been a little boy." She didn't want to tell him, that his demon mother was responsible for it.  
  
"And what do you know about my mother?"  
  
"Nothing, you haven't told me anything about her."  
  
Cole hated to get to know these facts, but his curiosity was stronger. "Well, she must have also had a human form." He supposed. "But why have I been this red black monster? I have looked like that, haven't I?" He looked at her asking.  
  
Phoebe could hardly imagine anything worse, than talking with her boyfriend about his demon past, but she accepted that he had to know it. She nodded and said. "Yes, that was your demonic form."  
  
He started to walk up and down. "Wonderful, I can't believe it. That should have been me?" He looked at her disgusted. "How could you fall in love with me?"  
  
She walked to him and flung her arms around his neck. "I fell in love with you, not with Belthazor. But that doesn't matter anymore. We live now, and you are a human, everything is behind us."  
  
Cole shook his head, that wasn't that easy. "Why did you want me to come here?"  
  
She freed from him and looked at him deeply. "I wanted to show you the grave. But that's not everything." She showed around. "This place always had a special meaning for you and I thought you would feel it."  
  
She was right, this place had a calming effect on him and he felt better immediately. He nodded.  
  
"You have once told me, that it's the second safest place in the world for you."  
  
"And where was the safest?"  
  
"At my side." She looked at him attentively.  
  
Cole laughed bitterly. "Fatal mistake, the biggest mistake of my life."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I would say it was lethal for me at your side."  
  
She looked at him confused. "What makes you say that?"  
  
"You have killed me." He explained coldly and when he saw her shocked expression, he knew, that he was absolutely right. "It's useless to deny it, it all adds up perfectly."  
  
"I ..." He had hit her with this sentence where it really hurted. Why did he know it? She closed her eyes and said finally. "I had to do it."  
  
"Of course, you had to do it, what else." He said cynically.  
  
"You were evil again. I've done the right thing." She justified herself. "I had no choice."  
  
"Really? There wasn't another solution?" He asked disbelieving. "I thought, you have loved me, how could you kill me that easily?"  
  
"Oh, you think it was easy, it wasn't and you had understand it, you forgave me." Phoebe told him in a serious tone.  
  
"How do you want to know, that I forgave you?" He asked, that letter wasn't so clear.  
  
"Because you've told me." She replied angrily.  
  
"Oh, but when? You know, I can't remember anything, after my death." Cole looked at her triumphantly and Phoebe looked back uncertainly and slowly he started to understand. "One moment," he tried to sort his thoughts. "You have killed me again?" He shook his head disbelieving. "Don't you have another hobby?"  
  
"You can't understand anything of it, it was necessary. And anyway you didn't want to live anymore and it wasn't really me."  
  
"That's really a wonderful excuse, it wasn't really you. And the first time, I forgave you, that's great for you." Cole said calmly.  
  
"But that's the truth." She explained angrily. "You have no idea what's happened."  
  
"I only know, that you weren't very successful. But stop, didn't I disappear a third time?" Cole thought surprised. "Did you kill me that time, too?"  
  
"No, I couldn't do it. When you vanished the first time, you wanted to hide from demon headhunters."  
  
"But when you got to know me better, it wasn't a problem for you anymore. And finally you were getting practice." He shook his head stunned.  
  
"You aren't fair, I had no choice. You can believe me, I could have done without it. But you were too dangerous. You were a menace not only to me, to everybody."  
  
"Don't be melodramatic!" He explained annoyed. "I was evil again, okay. But nevertheless that doesn't mean, that you had to kill me. Couldn't you help me? I'm sure that I never wanted to hurt you."  
  
"Well, I'm really sorry to disappoint you, but there was a time, when you wanted to kill me, too." Phoebe told him. "You aren't so innocent, finally you had been a demon."  
  
Cole looked at her suspiciously. "I only see, that you are still alive, or did you rise from dead, too?" When he saw her morose look, he added. "That means, although I was evil, I couldn't do it in contrast to you."  
  
"What you have done is worse. And you wanted to kill my sisters, what do you think I should have done?"  
  
"Ask me not to do it." When he saw her contemptuous look he continued. "Did I want to kill them without a reason? Have I invited them for a cup of coffee and suddenly I thought it would be a lot of fun to kill them? No matter how angry you would be about it?"  
  
"They wanted to vanquish you, because you have killed an innocent, they had no choice. They wanted to bring me back to my senses. But that isn't the point." She stated firmly.  
  
"Well I think it is. I know, that I would never be able to hurt you, no matter what you are saying. I would have tried to safe your life, no matter how dangerous it would be." He explained certainly.  
  
"Who do you think you are? You don't know, what you have done to me." Phoebe got angry slowly.  
  
"Well it wasn't my intention to hurt you, but it was yours." He told her with deep conviction.  
  
"Without intention? What's the meaning of it?" She asked disparaging. "I only know, if somebody wants to become the leader of the underworld or builds his own ill reality, then you'll always find some intention."  
  
"Leader of the underworld? Me? Why should I have wanted to become it? I'm not abnormal ambitious."  
  
"How do you want to know it?" Phoebe asked saucy.  
  
"Well I know, if I'm obsessive ambitious or not. Something like that doesn't change." He told her confident.  
  
"Oh, when you were a demon, you were very orderly. And look at your apartment now."  
  
"I wouldn't say that it's untidy." He stated firmly.  
  
"That doesn't matter at the moment. I only know that the seer..."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The seer, one of the most disgusting creatures, you can image. Well she had offered you the powers of the source of all evil. And you took it without hesitation."  
  
"How do you want to know it. Have you been there?" Cole asked interested.  
  
"No, but I had to bear the consequences." Phoebe said sarcastically.  
  
Cole shook his head. "But that doesn't make any sense. Why should I have wanted that. I had to know that I would loose you. And I don't believe that anything was more important to me." He looked at her piercing. "There must have been another reason."  
  
"Okay," Phoebe said disgruntled. "Perhaps you wanted to rescue me, but the price was too high."  
  
"I wanted to rescue you." He nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that could be true, I wouldn't care about the price."  
  
"But it was too high for me. After it you lied to me, you betrayed me, nothing can justify it."  
  
"But I've done it for you."  
  
"No, only for you. You wanted to be the hero. You started running to rescue me and didn't care, if I wanted it, if there was another way. No, only you could rescue me, to hell with the consequences. You didn't care, what I've felt. And you have shown it again and again. Because when you had the change to gather demonic powers again, you didn't say no."  
  
"Can you tell me the reason?"  
  
"You didn't want to accept that you were dead." She told him cutting.  
  
"Well, that's an understandable reason, I'd say."  
  
"But you've tried to get all demonic powers to reorganize the underworld and you have become insane and evil, well I can't find a plausible reason for that." She told him bitchy, okay he had had the crazy vision in his unreal world, that she would come back to him, if she was evil, too, but she didn't want to tell him anything of it, otherwise he would misinterpret it, too.  
  
"Mm, I think I had a good one."  
  
"Even if you always had a reason, you never thought about the consequences. That your demonic powers would have a complete demand of you, that everything was going from bad to worse." She told him furiously.  
  
"Couldn't I get rid of them?"  
  
"No, don't think that is so easy. It wasn't possible."  
  
"But couldn't we find a way out of it? I mean, if we loved each other, then there must have been a solution." He looked at her sadly. "But you gave up on me, you didn't fight anymore, but killed me, did you?"  
  
"I had no choice, once I loved you too much, that had nearly destroyed myself and my sisters, too. And at the end your love to me was more obsession. You were a treat to me, to us. I couldn't help you." She tried to explain again, but she finally got enough of it.  
  
"Or you didn't want to. Deep inside I know, that I would have never left you in lurch and I still feel the pain, because you did it."  
  
She shook her head. "You have no idea, what I had to bear because of you, how painful it was, that you have destroyed my trust in you, my love to you. I only wanted you out of my life." She confessed.  
  
"Well when I believe you, that I didn't want to live anymore, I would say it was worse for me."  
  
She nodded. "And therefore you wanted to destroy my life, too."  
  
Cole looked at her thoughtfully. "Well now I don't want to do it."  
  
"What are you getting at?" Phoebe asked and tried to calm down. It was stupid to discuss about it, he even didn't understand what had really happened.  
  
Cole looked at her lost in thoughts. "I don't know, you've told me, that you couldn't love me anymore, because you couldn't trust me." He looked at her closer and didn't know what he should tell her. He knew, that he still loved her, but nevertheless he wondered how strong her love had been, if she had dropped him so easily. He had to cope with it first. "I understand you a little bit now."  
  
"What?" She stared at him disbelieving and a little annoyed, who did he think he was? "At that time you have understand it."  
  
"But then I was an evil demon, I had to do it. But now I'm a, well quite usual human and I tell you, what I feel."  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "I can't believe it Cole. Okay, I'm also not perfect and I make mistakes, but I forgave you, although that wasn't easy for me." She looked at him piercing, she had known, that it would be difficult to talk about his past, that it would only cause problems. But although she was angry about it, she didn't want to loose him, in no case. "But it's over, it's the past. You are a human now, we are living now, don't break it."  
  
Cole walked to the exit. "I have to think about it. But at the moment, I don't know if it's a good idea to spend my time with demons and witches. Finally I can't assume that I would survive again. I cling to my life." He looked at her again. "I don't want to hurt you Phoebe, but I can't change it. Give me some time."  
  
Phoebe stared at him leaving the mausoleum. "But you have promised me that nothing would come between us." She yelled behind him bitterly. She couldn't believe it. Angry and disappointed she went home.  
  
When she arrived at the manor, she met Piper in the hallway. "How are things? Well you don't look very satisfied."  
  
Phoebe rushed into the living-room, where Paige was already sitting. "This idiot!" Phoebe started to let out her frustration. "He can't forgive me that I've killed him so easily. My God, who does he think he is? He has to think about it." She stared at her sisters angrily. "He has to think about it. I can't believe it."  
  
Piper looked at her thoughtfully. "Why does he know it?" She asked surprised.  
  
"Well because of everything Paige and I have said and ..., he simply knew it. But that isn't the point, the problem is, that he can't forgive me, as if there would be something he had to forgive me. I have forgiven him the worst things and he told me something like that." She walked up and down in the room. "He should remember, what he have done to me, then he would be overjoyed, that I take into consideration to give him another chance. But no, he doesn't trust me anymore. That's ridiculous!"  
  
Before Piper could answer, they saw a blue light and Leo appeared. He kissed his wife, just before Phoebe urged him. "Tell me Leo, isn't it possible for Cole to get his memory back? I mean, now he knows what's the matter and therefore it won't do any harm."  
  
Leo looked at her confused. "That isn't possible Phoebe and I don't understand, why you want it?"  
  
"Because he ditched her and she thinks if he remembers again, he'll come back to her meekly." Paige explained.  
  
"He didn't ditch me." Phoebe turned to her younger sister furiously. "I only have to explain him, that he is wrong. Then he'll apologize." She told her satisfied and sat down. "That's it, I've to explain him the whole situation again."  
  
"Oh, oh." Paige let out.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, but you sound like Cole. She'll understand that we belong together and so on. Is it a reversal of roles?"  
  
"That's rubbish. The situation is absolutely different."  
  
Leo cleared his throat and turned busy to the sisters. "I think at the moment, we really have other problems. I've told them about Canterro and they think the situation is alarming."  
  
"And this symbol at the wall is responsible for the blocking of magic?" Piper asked glad that he had changed the subject.  
  
Leo shook his head. "No, seals like that can only direct magic and this one had directed magic into the cage. But it's a mystery to everybody, how they managed to block the use of magic on the whole ground. But if somebody is able to break this blocking, it will be you."  
  
The Halliwell sisters looked at each other thoughtfully.  
  
"And there is another problem." Leo added. "If you can break the blocking, all imprisoned demons will be free automatically."  
  
"I think it's worse that Canterro uses them for his own purposes." Phoebe supposed.  
  
"But what does Canterro want of them?" Paige wondered and looked fascinated at the energy ball glove, lying on the table. "He can't sell such kind of arms."  
  
"Well Quasta's amnesia substance and Nevantos' lethal paralysis substance are very useful."  
  
Piper shook her head. "But you can't sell them on the official market."  
  
"You'll have to find a way to break Canterro's blocking of magic in any case. Then you'll be able to put his machinations to an end." Leo explained.  
  
"And Deacon and Fleisher?" Paige asked. "What will happen to them?"  
  
"At the moment we don't care about them." Piper told her and turned around to go upstairs. The sisters went to the attic and Leo disappeared again. 


	37. Chapter 37

Thanks for your nice reviews!! It's always wonderful to get them!!  
  
First a few words to Charmed Fan, I'm really not offended. I totally agree with you, that the Halliwells were absolutely unfair to Cole. They liked to forget that Cole had helped them and safed their lives so often. And they would never have been able to defeat the source without him. But it seemed as if they thought it was intirely due to them, did they have amnesia? Okay, I also don't know, if Phoebe deserves Cole, but they were a sweet couple until the damn writers ruined everything. And the problem is, that Cole wants her. And I'm sure that he only will be happy together with her. And well I wanted to make him happy, he deserves it. So sorry, that's the way of my story.  
  
And here is the next chapter  
  
Chapter 37  
  
Next morning Trisha Raymond visited Cole in his office. "Trisha" he said surprised. "What are you doing here."  
  
She explained, that she had shown the research reports to some colleagues. They were surprised about it just like her. They also told her that some ingredients of the substance were absolutely new.  
  
Cole told her, that Canterro had an underground research center in the countryside. He didn't know, what he should tell her and decided to withhold the magic stuff from her. "I have been there, but it's dangerous, there are armed men in the wood around the center. I wouldn't suggest anybody to spy around there."  
  
"And what can we do now?" Trisha asked.  
  
"I think we shouldn't get involved with it. I spoke about it with people, who know what to do." She looked at him confused and he added. "If they find out something, I mean, if they put a stop to Canterro's game, you'll be the first I'll tell. I promise." He wanted to keep her out of this story. And against his usual thirst of action, he wasn't in the mood to care about this Canterro stuff either. Of course he would like to see him suffering, he thought grimly and wondered, if that was a demon trait. He supposed that Phoebe and her sisters would be glad to take charge of this and that they would hunt Canterro down.  
  
"And the police?" Trisha asked suspiciously.  
  
Cole shook his head. "They can't do anything. I promise you, that they'll serve out Canterro and the others."  
  
"Lynch law?" She asked unsatisfied.  
  
"No, when they'll find Canterro guilty, he'll probably end up in prison." Cole didn't know, what the good witches would do with human criminals, as they didn't lose time with demons. "They won't lynch him." He said, although he finally wouldn't care about it.  
  
"Okay, but there is something else." Trisha started. "Meagan Canterro will organize an event this evening. She'll tell the personnel, business associates and of course the press about her company, the latetest research results and her plans for the future. I'd like to go there, but I don't have an invitation."  
  
"You really want to go there? What do you want there?" Cole asked surprised.  
  
"Well, I want to know, if she'll tell something about this new substance. I want to know, what's going on in this chemical plant, even if your friends care about Canterro." She looked at him uncertainly. "Could you get any tickets?"  
  
Cole looked back thoughtfully. Okay, actually he didn't want to care about it anymore, but why shouldn't he go with her, perhaps he would hear something interesting. Nevertheless he asked as a precaution. "Do you know if her husband will be there? It's possible that he has seen me on his property, when I was searching for the hidden research center."  
  
Trisha shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Everybody runs his firm alone. And if you see him, we'll vanish immediately."  
  
Cole groaned. "Okay, why not. I'll try to get some tickets." He picked up the phone and called a colleague, who was responsible for economic news.  
  
After his call he looked at Trisha satisfied. "You need an invitation to get to the event. One journalist of our paper wanted to go there, but he's ill. So they want to give me the tickets with the greatest pleasure, because nobody wants to go there. I'll only have to tell them, what Meagan Canterro will tell us."  
  
Trisha looked at him enthusiastically. "Well, that won't be a problem, I'll take notes."  
  
"Okay, if you take on the burden, I won't be able to say no." Cole admitted defeated. "When shall I come for you?" Well, it seemed as if he couldn't let the matter rest so easily.  
  
When Trisha left his office, Peter appeared. He sat down and asked. "Where have you been yesterday afternoon? I wanted to ask you to drive me to my car." He told him annoyed. "Now it had to stand in the forest another night."  
  
Cole just remembered, that he had forgotten to tell Peter about Paige's proposal, but now he made up for. "Paige wants to beam you there, if you want."  
  
Peter stared at him horrified. "Are you crazy? Wild horses couldn't drag me there together with this mad woman. I would prefer to run there."  
  
"I'd like to see that." Cole said and shrugged his shoulders. "It was just a suggestion."  
  
"No thanks! I try to see that nightmare for what it is, only a nightmare, unfortunatelly I'm not very successful. But don't dare trying to argue the converse."  
  
Cole raised his hands. "I've no ambition to do it. I wish I could see it the same."  
  
Peter sighed and said. "I only need my car back, then everything is alright." He looked around. "I've told the boss that I've to take some pictures in the countryside. And he had agreed. So if you don't mind, please take me there."  
  
Cole looked morose. He really didn't want to go there again.  
  
"I can't expect such a long journal of Helen at the moment. And I've been there to rescue you." Peter stated.  
  
"Yes and it worked fantastic."  
  
"Oh, come on."  
  
"Okay," Cole looked at his notes. "I'll finish the report until lunch, then we can go there."  
  
"Great!" Peter left Cole's office satisfied.  
  
On their way to Peter's car, they avoided perfectly not to talk about the events of the weekend. When they arrived at the wood, they had a funny feeling. Cole stopped on the street and looked at the way into the wood. They didn't hear any noise, everything seemed to be peaceful. Nevertheless Cole was uneasy. He turned to Peter and said. "Won't you mind, if we walk there?"  
  
Peter looked not very enthusiastic. "Why?"  
  
"Don't know, I've such a funny feeling." Cole said and could persuade Peter to walk to the car.  
  
They walked through the wood silently until they nearly arrived at the place, where Peter had parked his car. Suddenly they saw armed men in front of them. Peter and Cole stopped behind some trees and saw that the men had pitched a camp not far away. Cole looked around and searched for Peter's car, but they didn't find a trace of it. They looked at each other asking and decided to go back without further ado.  
  
They arrived at Cole's car without a hitch and set off to San Francisco. After a while Peter finally started to talk. "I can't believe it, these guys have stolen my car."  
  
"Be thankful you weren't there and that they haven't seen us today."  
  
"I thought you are a powerful demon, therefore nothing could happen to me."  
  
"Well I'm sorry, but unfortunately you are a few years too late." Cole explained him calmly. He worried that Canterro could find out Peter's address because of his car. But he didn't want to worry him, he behaved strangely enough at the moment.  
  
They went back in silence. When they arrived in town, they got stuck in a traffic jam. Therefore they arrived back at the paper late in the afternoon. Cole went into his office, before he went home to change his clothes for his meeting with Trisha.  
  
In the meantime the Halliwell sisters hadn't found anything to go by in the Book of Shadows. They had only found out, that Canterro had meanwhile blocked magic in his house in the town and his firms, too. They hadn't any plan, how they could break the blocking yet.  
  
Phoebe had her mind on other things all the time. She couldn't understand, why Cole held her tries to vanquish him against her. She had to do it, she thought grimly and tried to reach him all afternoon, but he wasn't in his office.  
  
Piper looked at her sister sceptically. "Don't you think it would be better, if you gave him some time?"  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "I'll only have to explain him what had really happened."  
  
"Phoebe!"  
  
"No, Piper don't. The last days I noticed, how much I've missed him. What I was searching for the last year. I don't want to loose him again. He accused me of fighting too less for our love. Okay, then I'll do it now." She looked at her sister satisfied, but when she saw her look, she added quickly. "We haven't reserved roles, don't worry."  
  
"And if he wants a break first?" Piper asked and didn't want to add what would happen, if he wanted a separation.  
  
But Phoebe guessed what Piper wanted to say and told her "Well, if he really wants it, okay then I'll accept it. But I have to admit, that I'm convinced about the contrary." She looked at Piper thoughtfully. "When I decided that it was over between us, I was sure that I took the right decision. And it was. But today, I'm absolutely convinced that it would be wrong. I'll only have to convince him about it. And well, I mean, Cole has always loved me, so it won't be difficult." Phoebe left the house satisfied, while Piper looked sceptically behind her.  
  
Some time later, Phoebe was standing in front of Cole's door. When he opened it, he saw Phoebe to his astonishment.  
  
"May I come in?" She asked, when he didn't get ready to let her in.  
  
"Of course!" Cole went into his living room and she followed him. "Okay, what do you want?"  
  
"I've tried to reach you all afternoon, but you weren't there."  
  
"No, we wanted to take Peter's car." He explained, and didn't know, why.  
  
"Oh, that's good. Then I can tell Paige, that she doesn't have to wait for his call anymore."  
  
"But the problem is, his car wasn't there, only armed men."  
  
"O no," Phoebe sat down on the coach. "Have they seen you?"  
  
"No, I don't think so." He sat down opposite to her. "Do you think they'll find out Peter's address?"  
  
Phoebe looked at him gloomy. "Think so, damn it."  
  
"Do you think Helen and Peter are in danger?"  
  
"Yes and above all you." She looked at him concerned.  
  
"Me? Why do you think they want me?" He asked surprised.  
  
"Well you know for sure, whom Canterro wants: you !" Phoebe told Cole and wondered, why she had to tell him. He should have known that.  
  
Cole shook his head rejecting. "No, I don't want to have anything to do with it."  
  
"But nobody asks you. Canterro thinks that you are a super demon, who is able to get over his blocking of magic."  
  
"Couldn't you vanquish him? I thought you are so powerful." Cole asked.  
  
She sighed. "If that would be so easy."  
  
"Well of course he isn't a demon you can kill so easily." He said dryly.  
  
"I wouldn't have twinges of remorse with Canterro." She told him angrily. "But we didn't find a way how to destroy hisblocking of magic yet. And we've noticed, that he has the same blocking in his house and in his firms." She explained frustrated.  
  
"So you don't have any chance?" Cole asked surprised.  
  
"Of course we have, we'll find a way without any doubt. But now we have to get you out of harm's way." She told him resolutely and stood up.  
  
"Forget it! I'll manage on my own. But perhaps Peter and Helen want to be saved. Although it seemed as Peter feels no desire to meet you again."  
  
"Don't take it so easy, you know, how dangerous Canterro can be. If he gets demons onto you, it'll be over, forever. I thought your life is more important for you."  
  
"You're right. You should go to Helen and Peter and ask them." He told her calming.  
  
"And what's with you?" She asked concerned.  
  
"Well I've a meeting tonight." He told her. "I've promised her."  
  
"What? A date? With whom?" She looked at him shocked.  
  
"That's none of your business."  
  
"Well, I think that is my business. Finally I'm your girlfriend and even if you need some time to think about everything, it doesn't mean, that I allow you to go out with other women." Phoebe explained him furiously.  
  
"Oh, you don't allow me. Well, I think it's only my decision." He told her, but when he saw her hurt expression, he added. "It's absolutely harmless."  
  
"Then don't go."  
  
"I've promised her. Don't make a problem out of it." He really didn't want to tell her, that he would meet Trisha Raymond to go to an event at the Canterro Chemical Plant with her.  
  
"You can talk!" She groaned. "I came here to talk about us. I wanted to explain everything to you, because you have to understand that ...."  
  
Cole raised his hands to stop her from talking. "That'll do Phoebe. I don't want to talk about it at the moment. I even don't want to think about it."  
  
"But you'll have to think about it, when in the middle of your date a demon, who wants to catch you and take you to Canterro, will appear in front of you."  
  
"Well, we'll see." He could hardly imagine that a demon would appear in the middle of Meagan Canterro's speech to pull him or beam or whatever out of the hall. He was convinced that the Chemical Plant was one of the safest places for him. To chance the subject he asked a question, which haunted him all day. "I've a hypothetical question for you." He looked at her attentively. "What would you do, if I became the same as I was in my past, by chance."  
  
"What do you mean, in your past?" Phoebe asked. She didn't like this question at all, she didn't want to think about such hypothetical problems.  
  
"You know, what I mean, a demon, half-demon, whatever, just evil."  
  
She looked at him for a while. "Do you mean through no fault of your own?" She asked to gain some time.  
  
"Is that important for you?"  
  
"Of course it is important, if you start running to get your demonic powers back or if you weren't responsible for it."  
  
"Well it could be possible that I would like to have my powers back to do something good." When he saw her sceptical expression he continued. "But that isn't the point, Phoebe. Don't change the subject."  
  
"I don't do it. I just think that the circumstances ..."  
  
Cole interrupted her and walked to the door. "I understand." He said depressed, he had known it, she would drop him again. "Come on, let's go."  
  
"Wait!" Phoebe hurried behind him. "I didn't answer your question yet. You have to understand that everything isn't so easy." She tried to convince him.  
  
"Nobody says that it's easy." Cole flashed her an angry glace.  
  
"Then tell her that you can't come and let us talk about it." She offered him.  
  
Cole shook his head, but he stopped at the door and turned to her. He looked at her thoughtfully. "You know, I had a dream last night. I was looking into a mirror and wished myself a happy birthday, because I knew nobody else, who meant anything to me, would do that. I've felt awful, on one side I wanted to take revenge, but on the other I felt only lonely, deserted, hopeless. I knew the situation was completely desperate for me, there was no escaping. I was hold like a prisoner in this nightmare and there was no way out, it was too late." He looked her deep into the eyes. "I don't know, if this dream was reality, but I never want to have this feeling again."  
  
"Do you think I've been responsible for that?" She asked indignant.  
  
He shrugged his shoulders. "Probably, or it was my own fault, I don't know. But that wouldn't change anything. Just give me some time to think about it, okay?" He smiled at her weakly. "First you should try to persuade Peter and Helen that you have to get them out of danger."  
  
Phoebe looked at him unsatisfied. "I think you should care about your safety, too. Canterro is crazy and he is searching for you. Don't you care about it?"  
  
"I do. But nothing will happen, finally he doesn't know my address."  
  
"That could change soon. Canterro will find ways and means to get it." Phoebe explained gloomy.  
  
"I can take care of myself." Cole said, but when he saw her expression, he knew that she wasn't convinced about it.  
  
But she didn't say anything about it and asked. "Will you help me to persuade your friends that they are in danger?"  
  
Cole nodded and they left his apartment to ring at Helen's and Peter's door.  
  
Peter opened it and looked at them astonished. "Hello, did you find my car?"  
  
"How should we." Cole wanted to know and followed Peter into the living room. When they all sat down, he continued. "We are here for something else. Phoebe thinks that you are in danger, because Canterro could find out your address. Finally it's obvious, that he has your car."  
  
Helen looked at him uncertainly. "Do you think he could come here?"  
  
Phoebe seized the opportunity and joined in the conversation. "Yes, I think so. He could send his people here and therefore it'll be the best solution for you, to come with me. We can protect you until everything is over."  
  
"But this guy doesn't want anything of us. He is looking for demons and witches and whatever. We aren't interesting for him." Peter tried to wriggle himself out of the fact of spending a night in the witches' home.  
  
"But they are after us and after Cole. And probably they think that they'll get us, if they have you in their hands." Phoebe tried to explain.  
  
"Mm, do you mean that it's the same situation as it was in Cloud City, when Darth Vader tortured Chewbacca and Han Solo to get Luke?"  
  
Phoebe looked at him asking, she had no idea, what he was talking about. Nevertheless she told him with a convinced smile. "Exactly!"  
  
Peter nodded, but nevertheless he had a funny feeling about it and added. "I don't know, if it's necessary."  
  
But after some to and fro, Peter and Helen agreed to go with Phoebe.  
  
When they started to pack some of their things, Cole wanted to set off to his meeting with Trisha. "Okay, I'm going now." He told Phoebe and walked to the door.  
  
Peter, who had heard it, came out of the bedroom and looked at him suspiciously. "You won't come with us?" He asked, not very glad about the imagination that they would be alone with the witches.  
  
"Well I have other plans for tonight." Cole told him calmly.  
  
"Oh really, and the big danger?" Peter asked sarcastically.  
  
"They haven't my car. How shall they get my address? They even don't know my name." Cole told him.  
  
"Well they'll find a way." Phoebe explained gloomy, but she knew, that she wouldn't be able to stop him from going out tonight. She didn't know, what disturbed her most: That he exposed himself to danger so easily or that he went out with another woman. 


	38. Chapter 38

Thanks for your reviews!!! Well I tried to be fair to Phoebe although it was a little bit difficult for me, but I also didn't want to make her too friendly and too understanding, because I couldn't imagine that she would act this way. So I'm really glad when you like it the way I wrote it.  
  
Chapter 38  
  
When Trisha and Cole arrived at the Chemical Plant, there were already a lot of people. They entered the assembly room and got a welcome drink and their reservation cards. Apparently the Daylight Express wasn't very important for the Canterros, because Cole's and Trisha's seats were in the last but one row. Cole looked around, he was quite happy about this seat, even Jared Canterro wouldn't notice him here, if he came to this event. Beside him Trisha took out a notepad to write down the most interesting news.  
  
At half past seven Meagan Canterro appeared on the stage. She welcomed the person present and explained, that they would first see a film about the activities and improvements of the plant in the last year. She sat down in the first row again and the film began. Cole heard that the last financial year had been the most successful for the chemical plant. He heard everything about the successful products and other boring facts about the firm. Finally he understood, why his colleague had become ill. Janny Aroso's exhibition had been a gripping spectacle compared with this one. Meanwhile Trisha busy wrote down the facts, but when the film was over and he asked her, if she had heard anything about the new substance, she shook her head.  
  
Then Meagan Canterro went to the stage again, two bodyguards were standing behind her and watched the surrounding attentively. Her speech was in the same tenor and Cole had his doubts, that she would reveal anything spectacular. His thoughts wandered and he looked around bored. His look stopped at the bodyguards on the stage. There was something fishy about them, they seemed to be rather stiff even for bodyguards. He took a closer look and noticed a thin shining thread coming from their necks. He followed the thread and noticed that it ended in Meagan Canterro's pendant hanging at a necklace on her neck. He couldn't see it from this distance, but he was sure that he would find the symbol of Canterro and his friends on it. He looked at the bodyguards again and his instinct told him, that they were demons. Lost in thoughts, he didn't notice that Meagan Canterro had finished her speech and everybody started to applaud.  
  
Two other men made a speech after Meagan Canterro, when they had finished, the the guests were invited to a small buffet in another hall. The room got empty and Trisha looked morose. "Nothing interesting." She said unsatisfied and gave Cole her notes. "Not the modest information."  
  
"Did you expect anything else? Remember the press is here. Come on we should eat a little bit when we are already here." He took her arm and they went into the other room, where a buffet was served on a long table.  
  
"Do you know anybody here?" Cole asked, but Trisha shook her head.  
  
"No, I only hope, that they also don't know me." They got something to eat and placed themselves near the window, where they could lie low, nobody would notice them.  
  
Cole looked around and noticed Meagan Canterro in the middle of the hall, the two demons were standing behind her. They followed her as if they were chained on a invincible lead. Cole looked at it angrily, even if they were demons, he couldn't bear that Meagan kept them like dogs on a short lead. Cole was convinced that this connection forced Meagan's will up on them, too, so that they were obedient to her. He looked at Trisha and asked her, if she wants another drink. When she agreed, he walked through the hall and passed the demons as near as possible. He followed the thin shining thread with his eyes and saw that it ended in the back of their necks. He tried to take a close look at their necks, but they wore shirts with high collar and he couldn't see anything.  
  
When Phoebe arrived at the Halliwell Manor together with Peter and Helen, a surprised Piper waited for her. "Canterro has found Peter's car and I think that they are in danger, therefore I offered them to spend the night here." Phoebe told her sister.  
  
Piper nodded. "Okay, that's no problem." She led them into the living-room and pulled Phoebe into the kitchen. "And where is Cole?" She asked.  
  
"He wants to go out tonight." Phoebe told her still angry about it. "I think he wants to take revenge on me, or something like that, I don't know." She sat down frustrated. "He doesn't care about the danger."  
  
"Why do you think he would change? But give him some time to think about everything Phoebe. It must be a shock for him to get to know everything. And he hold his own for this situation, doesn't he?"  
  
Phoebe stood up and sighed. "Well finally he is able to go out tonight." She left the kitchen and bumped into Helen, who was standing in front of the door. She looked at her surprised and Phoebe looked back angrily, did she eavesdrop? she wondered.  
  
"I only wanted to know, where the toilet is." Helen explained, she didn't want to listen, but nevertheless she had heard a part of their talk.  
  
Phoebe showed her the way and decided that Peter and Helen could spend the night in her room.  
  
When Paige came home, they had diner and after it Phoebe helped Helen to unpack her things. Helen looked around and told her. "You have a nice room and you live in a beautiful house, too."  
  
"Thanks!" Phoebe looked at Helen and was still suspicious. She didn't know, what she should think about the fact that Helen was such a close friend to Cole. She wondered, what he had told her.  
  
As if Helen had read her mind, she said. "Cole will manage it." She smiled friendly. "And don't worry, he was never interested in any other woman as he is in you."  
  
"Nevertheless he has to go out tonight." Phoebe said dissatisfied.  
  
"Oh, that's probably only business and if not ... In Seattle he kept going out with a lot of women, but none of them ever meant anything to him."  
  
It was difficult for Phoebe to imagine Cole together with other women in Seattle and she didn't go to the trouble of trying it.  
  
"You are more important to him, than his past and that means a lot." Helen stated.  
  
Phoebe smiled sarcastically. "Yes and nevertheless he had opened the envelope."  
  
"Wouldn't you have done it? I'm sure, I would have done it. He thought that he was a Mafia killer. He didn't want to hurt you, but he wanted to know the truth." Helen tried to defend him. When Phoebe was still silent she continued. "He had told me, that you are the one he was always searching for, not his past."  
  
Phoebe had to smile, although she knew, that she was something special for him, it did her good to hear Helen's confirmation. "I hope, he won't forget it."  
  
"Definitely not. But everything is a big shock for him, although he tries to cover it up." Helen laughed. "It's a shock for me, too so I can imagine, how it must be for him."  
  
Phoebe sat down on her bed. "He doesn't understand it." She said frustrated.  
  
Helen sat beside her. "Well, you have to admit, that it's hard to understand."  
  
"He can't understand that I had to vanquish him." Phoebe said, because she had the feeling that Cole had talked about it with Helen.  
  
Helen nodded and confirmed Phoebe's assumption. "Well, who could understand it." Helen looked at Phoebe, she seemed to be a person, who could be tough and strong if it was necessary. Helen couldn't imagine the most crazy situation, she would be able to kill Peter. But luckily Peter wasn't a demon and she wasn't a witch. "I don't think that I would ever be able to kill Peter, even if he tried to kill somebody."  
  
Phoebe wanted to jump up angrily, but Helen held her arm to stop her. "You got me wrong. I don't want to judge it."  
  
Phoebe sat down again and turned to her. "But you wonder, if it would have been the better solution only to stop him from doing it, don't you? But if it was the only way to stop him?"  
  
Helen shrugged her shoulders. "I think I wouldn't be so strong. Even if it would be the only chance to stop him, to rescue innocents. I don't think that I could do the right."  
  
Phoebe smiled weakly. "Be thankful that you've never been in such a situation." She sighed. "Unfortunately Cole still believes in fairytales that love will always win. But sometimes there are situations and it can't win, and you have to accept it."  
  
"Well you are together now, so probably it'll come true." Helen pointed out.  
  
Phoebe stood up. "If I could only believe it."  
  
Helen looked up at her. "May I ask you a question?" When Phoebe nodded, she continued. "I know Cole for over a year and he is ..." Helen searched for the right word. "quite usual. I mean he isn't violent or anything like that. I can't imagine, that he had been evil, that he had been able to kill people indiscriminately."  
  
Phoebe sighed. "That was the demon inside of him. If he had allowed his demonic part to have the control, he hadn't had any problems to kill people."  
  
Helen nodded, although this answer didn't help her to understand anything. Silent they unpacked Peter's and Helen's last things. When Phoebe wanted to lay Peter's jacket on the chair, she noticed that she would get a premonition. She sat down on the chair and saw the corridor in front of Cole's apartment. A demon was standing in front of Peter's and Helen's door, when Cole and a woman came around the corner. The woman looked familiar to Phoebe, but she couldn't remember who she was. They laughed and talked and didn't notice the demon, until he was standing in front of them. He threw the woman along the corridor and she fell down at the end of it. Then he stared at Cole with a nasty grin. He took him and wanted to disappear. Horrified Phoebe got out of her premonition.  
  
Helen looked at her irritated. "What's going on?" She asked uncertainly.  
  
"What a fool!" Phoebe let out. "I have told him, that it's dangerous." Angry she left the room to tell her sisters about her premonition. Helen looked behind her and didn't know if she should follow her or stay in the room.  
  
After a while Trisha recognized one of her ex-colleagues and they decided to leave the event. On their way back, Trisha was rather silent. "I don't know, what I had expected, but now I'm frustrated."  
  
"Probably they produce this new substance in their secret research center and they don't want that everybody knows about it." Cole told her.  
  
"Yes, you're right." She looked at him. "What have you seen there?"  
  
Cole really didn't want to tell her, what he had seen. "Not a lot, there is a wood and armed watchmen patrol in front of the entrance."  
  
"Well I'd like to look around there." Trisha sighed.  
  
"I wouldn't recommend it to you. It's too dangerous, but I could show you the plans again, perhaps you'll find something interesting. Finally we know, that they have really built it and we know for which reason." Cole thought that was a good idea, finally Trisha worked as a chemist and she knew how research centers were usually built.  
  
Trisha agreed happy that there was still a little opportunity that she could find out something tonight.  
  
They stopped at the Daylight Express, because Cole wanted to hand over Trisha's notes. Then they went to Cole's apartment.  
  
When they arrived in the corridor in front of his apartment, somebody conspicuous was standing in front of Peter's and Helen's door. Cole knew, even from this distance, why the man looked conspicuous: a thin shining threat was coming from behind his neck. But before Cole could digest his observation, the demon rushed at them and hit Trisha hard. She was thrown along the corridor. After it the demon looked at Cole and when he recognized him his mouth twisted into a crafty smile.  
  
At this moment Phoebe and Paige appeared directly behind the creature. While they rushed at him, Cole wondered, how he could help them. He walked to the fighters, but Phoebe had an angry look at him and he understood the meaning. 'Stay where you are!' He stopped and looked at Trisha, who was still lying on the ground. Cole walked to her and helped her to stand up. She seemed to be alright, but she was a little confused. While he looked after Trisha, he still watched the two witches vanquishing the demon. The whole action didn't need a lot of time and the sisters looked at each other satisfied, when a new demon appeared in front of Peter's and Helen's door.  
  
"Stay where you are." Phoebe ordered Cole, who wanted to walk into her direction. He stopped and looked at her angrily. Who did she think she was, he didn't want to get in her way, but nevertheless he wasn't so useless. He looked back at Trisha and decided to go to Phoebe despite her warning, but before he could reach them, they already had vanquished the demon. Breathless the sisters were standing in the corridor, when immediately a new demon appeared.  
  
"That can't be true!" Paige moaned and started to attack the new demon. Although the attackers weren't very powerful demons, they had to bother to vanquish them.  
  
Meanwhile Cole leaned at the wall and folded his arms in front of his body. He decided that it wasn't the right moment to discuss about his fighting strengths with Phoebe, therefore he watched fascinated at the thin ray shining in the air. It was coming from the back of the neck of every demon. He had his own theory, why the next demon appeared constantly, when the sisters had vanquished the one before. "I think we should clear off." He shouted to them, when they had vanquished the third demon and the fourth appeared. "Every time you have killed one demon, the next one will appear."  
  
"But that's impossible." Phoebe told him between her hits and kicks.  
  
"Well I don't have magical powers, but I think they are connected with each other. And if you cut the connection, the next one will pass by." He tried to explain her.  
  
Paige saw at her sister helpless. "Perhaps he is right." She said. "I really have enough of fighting against these idiots. Let us grab at Cole and the woman and orb home."  
  
Phoebe nodded and they moved into Cole's direction, while they were fighting.  
  
When Cole looked around, he couldn't see Trisha anymore. He supposed that she had ran away and had already left the building.  
  
Short time later Paige and Phoebe had vanquished the demon and Paige used the lull in fighting to take Phoebe's and Cole's hands. "Where is the woman?" She asked Cole and noticed that a new demon already appeared on the corridor.  
  
"I think she ran away. Let's vanish here!" Cole told her and Paige didn't need a second request.  
  
Short time later they arrived at the Halliwell Manor. Piper looked at them worried. "Is everything alright? I should have come with you." She said and looked at Leo angrily, because he had told her that one witch had to stay at home to protect Peter and Helen in case of a demon attack.  
  
Exhausted Paige sat down on the coach. "That wasn't only one demon, but four." She told Piper. "But one after another."  
  
Phoebe sat down beside Paige. "I also thought it would be easier." She stared at Cole angrily. "Well I told you that they are searching for you."  
  
"One moment, they waited in front of Peter's door. It was pure chance that they saw me."  
  
"So what? They have seen you, and if we hadn't been there, you would be in Canterro's imprisonment or even dead."  
  
He smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'll let you the privilege to kill me."  
  
She looked at him grimly. "I have never asked for it. I could do without it."  
  
Cole knew that he had gone too far and explained calmly. "But nothing has happened."  
  
Phoebe smiled nastily and said sweet as sugar. "But I'm really sorry, that I've ruined your date."  
  
"I can well believe that." He replied and a smile flitted across his face.  
  
Meanwhile Peter stepped beside Cole and seized his opportunity to ask horrified. "These ... creatures were standing in front of our door? Have they been in our apartment, too?"  
  
"They probably came from this direction." Cole told him dryly.  
  
"Hopefully everything in our apartment is still intact." Peter said.  
  
"Well that are demons, no burglars." Paige explained him. "Their main interest isn't your valuables. Be thankful, that you weren't there."  
  
Helen turned to her and said tensed. "We are happy."  
  
Meanwhile Leo looked at Paige and asked. "What do you mean, the demons came one after the other?"  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, how they managed, but when we had vanquished one demon the next one appeared."  
  
Cole sighed. "I've already told you, even if I'm no powerful demon anymore, you can listen to me. These guys were connected with each other."  
  
"But how should that work?" Phoebe asked sceptically.  
  
"Because of this thin thread coming out of their necks."  
  
Paige and Phoebe looked at him doubtfully. "Thread? I haven't seen anything like that. Paige?"  
  
Paige shook her head.  
  
"Well it was coming from the back of their neck and I don't think that you were standing behind them very often. You were busy to fight against them."  
  
"Thread? Well I think I would have noticed it. And I've never heard anything about anything like that." Phoebe said very sure of herself.  
  
"Do you want to say, that I'm lying?" Cole asked angrily.  
  
"No, that you're imagining things."  
  
"Only because you don't know it, it doesn't have to exist? There was a thin shining thread or ray, it was the same light as it was from the seal to the cage or from the bodyguards to Meagan Canterro."  
  
Phoebe looked at him confused. "Which bodyguards of Meagan Canterro?"  
  
"Well I have been on such a press event of the Canterro Chemical Plant tonight. Meagan Canterro was there and her body..."  
  
"You have been at Canterro's tonight?" Phoebe looked at him disbelieving, she couldn't understand why he was able to risk his life so easy and it frightened her. "Are you weary of life or are you only stupid? What did you want there?"  
  
"It was harmless, Jared Canterro wasn't there. And nobody noticed me among all the people of the press."  
  
"And was it worth it?"  
  
"Worth it? I only wanted to do Trisha a favor!" Cole stated calmly.  
  
"Trisha Raymond?" Phoebe looked at him furiously. "You have been there with Trisha Raymond? What have you told her?"  
  
"Nothing, what should I've told her?" He asked annoyed. "She has enough problems with her loss of memory."  
  
"Oh, the poor darling."  
  
"Perhaps I should look for her and ask if she is alright." Cole supposed.  
  
"We can care about it later." Paige told him and asked curiously. "First tell us, what do you mean with this shining thread."  
  
Cole told them that there was a shining thin thread from the back of the neck of the demons to the pendant of Meagan Canterro's necklace. "She kept them on an invincible lead." He said disgusted.  
  
Piper turned to Leo. "Haven't you told us that this seals are able to direct magic?"  
  
Leo nodded. "Yes and as it seems it's possible to direct demons, too."  
  
"Aren't you able to cut it with a ... magical knife or whatever." Cole asked her.  
  
Piper looked at him doubtful. "Well it doesn't belong to our duties to free demons."  
  
"Wonderful, you would only have to cut it." Cole said disgruntled. "This woman keeps them like ... dogs on a short lead."  
  
"That's it. Imagine that would be fight dogs, pit bulls, and we would free them, so that they could run around and attack everyone passing by."  
  
"Well I'd prefer it. Because at the moment this dangerous woman is able to set them on everybody at her will. To say nothing of her husband, this public enemy."  
  
Piper groaned. "Okay, I'll try to find something about this subject." She said and went upstairs onto the attic. Phoebe and Leo followed her and Paige and Cole decided to pass by Trisha.  
  
Paige orbed them near the building and they walked to Trisha's apartment.  
  
"Well it must be great, to be able to beam yourself like you do." Cole stated.  
  
"I orbed us." Paige got it straight. "But yes it's not bad, but you have to be cautious that nobody notices anything of it."  
  
"But why did you tell me, that I wasn't able to do it?" Cole asked.  
  
"Because I would never compare my way of moving with your ex-demon one." She told him saucy.  
  
"Of course not! How could I dare to do it." He replied ironically.  
  
Paige stopped and looked at him assessing. "You know Cole, even if you are a mortal now. You shouldn't forget that you've been a demon who had killed countless innocents, witches, and whomever."  
  
"Thanks that you remember me." He said sarcastically and touched her chummy on the shoulder. "I'm really happy that there is somebody like you, who reminds me, if I could dare to forget it."  
  
"You are welcome." She said and raised her shoulder to shake of his hand. None of them wanted to say anything until they reached Trisha's door. Cole rang the bell, but nobody opened the door. He tried it again and they heard a dog barking and steps coming to the door.  
  
"Trisha?" Cole asked loudly and the door opened a little. "It's just me."  
  
Trisha opened the door and stared at Paige gloomy, while Sparky ran on the corridor and barked angrily at the visitors. Paige kneeled down and tried to stroke Sparky but the dog ran around her and didn't want to stop his barking.  
  
"Are you okay?" Cole asked meanwhile and looked at Trisha.  
  
She nodded. "This man, what did he want? Was it .. because of .. Canterro?"  
  
Cole nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid he was one of Canterro's men. But he's done for."  
  
Trisha looked at him horrified. "But you haven't killed him, have you?"  
  
"No, of course not." Cole lied without scruple. "But now you understand that it's too dangerous. You have to keep out of it."  
  
"Okay, but this woman ... not this one." She looked at Paige, who was busy with the dog, Sparky was more friendly and she could stroke the dog now. "The other one." Trisha continued. "I think she had been here that day when I lost my memory."  
  
Cole felt compelled to explain her that Phoebe had really been there, because she had wanted to protect her of Canterro's men.  
  
Trisha took this information calmly, but after it she gave Cole a sceptical look. She said that she had to go back into her kitchen. She called her dog and shut the door.  
  
Paige orbed them back to the Halliwell Manor and went upstairs to her sisters. While Cole went into the living-room and sat down together with Peter and Helen.  
  
On the attic Phoebe and Piper had found a relevant information that there could be a magical connection between someone who commands and his subordinates. This connection worked with magical seals. The commander had the transmitter seal and the recipient of an order the receiver seal.  
  
"Did Cole say anything about how the symbol looked like?" Piper asked.  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "Not that I know of. But you can ask him. Where is he?"  
  
"Downstairs." Paige told her.  
  
"Have you met the lovely Trisha?" She asked sarcastically.  
  
"Yes, she is fine. And luckily she didn't notice anything supernatural. She thinks that the demons have been Canterro's thugs. Well and it isn't wrong." Paige supposed and turned to Phoebe. "And I think she doesn't trust Cole anymore, so you don't have to worry about her and Cole."  
  
"I have never done it." Phoebe said firmly.  
  
"Mm, that sounded different not long ago." Piper said and looked back at the book. "It says that we can charge an athame with magic, then it has the power to cut the connection."  
  
None of them liked the idea to release demons, but probably Cole was right and it was worse when they were under Canterro's control. So they started to work and prepared an athame. After it they decided to go to bed. Helen and Peter were already in Phoebe's room and she went with Paige into her room.  
  
Downstairs Piper took Cole a few blankets into the living room. When she met him alone, she decided to seize the opportunity to talk to him. She sat down on the coach and looked at him seriously. "I can't understand where your problem is, Cole. Don't dare to hurt Phoebe once again."  
  
"My problem is, that she has killed me, twice." He explained dryly.  
  
"But you are still alive, so who cares? Why do you keep harping on it?"  
  
"I can't count on her. I finally don't know, if she would drop me again at the next best opportunity."  
  
"She had never dropped you at the first best opportunity, you can believe me. She stood by your side much too long, until it was nearly too late for her ... for us."  
  
"For the whole world, I know." He explained sarcastically and smiled. "I can't talk about it with you, you aren't impartial."  
  
"How do you want to know?" She asked indignant.  
  
"That's obvious, finally you wanted to kill me, too." He told her self- satisfied.  
  
Piper shook her head and stood up, it was useless to talk to him about this subject. Phoebe and Cole should solve their problems alone, she decided. "Okay, it's your problem." She said gruffly and left the room. 


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39  
  
It was already after midnight, but Phoebe couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned from one side to the other.  
  
"Can't you sleep?" Paige whispered.  
  
Phoebe groaned. "No, I don't know, everything goes round and round in my mind."  
  
"What do you mean?" Paige asked.  
  
"Well all these problems with Canterro." Phoebe explained limp. "And ... Cole." She confessed.  
  
"Then go to him and talk to him, finally he is here, downstairs." Paige suggested.  
  
Phoebe turned aside. "But I don't know, if I want it just now." She was silent for a while and thought about something, she had always been surprised about. In the past, when she didn't know, if she should marry Cole, she had produced her two herselves by magic. Okay, she could perhaps understand now, why her elder self didn't want to tell her anything about her future, but why for heaven's sake did she sacrifice her life for him. She must have known, that he had been the source and that he would harm her unspeakably in future. So why did she do it? Did the elder Phoebe hope, that the younger one would find a way to rescue him? But how should she know from it?  
  
Phoebe stared at the ceiling. Would she have had to try it? Would everything have gone another way round? Carefully she turned to Paige again. "Do you think I have done the right ... in the past, I mean relating to Cole?"  
  
"Of course, don't let him talk you into believing something else. He even doesn't know, what had really happened." Paige explained angrily.  
  
"Yes, I know, but nevertheless would I have had any change to help him? Shouldn't we have tried it at least to free him of the source?" She asked hesitating.  
  
"Rubbish, it was impossible. And I don't mention that he had lied to us, that he had betrayed us, but he had never asked us for help."  
  
"Perhaps he wasn't able to do it." Phoebe muttered thoughtfully. "And when we know it, don't you think we ..."  
  
"Nonsense Phoebe stop it, that is useless." Paige interrupted her angrily.  
  
Phoebe sighed, Paige was right, but nevertheless, she couldn't stop it. "And later, I mean, even you have tried to free him from his demonic powers. And what have I done?"  
  
"Yes, and my so-called help ended disastrously. And no I'm sure you have done everything right. It was only his fault that he became evil again." Paige confirmed. "Don't rack your brains about it, it isn't worth it."  
  
"Yes I think so, too. There is only a small tiny doubt." She confessed meekly. "But I'll get rid of it soon." She laid back and stared at the ceiling again. She couldn't help feeling that this doubts had always slumbered inside of her, but she had never allowed them to come out. She had had to think about herself to survive this nightmare. And she had had only one choice to start a new life, she was convinced about it.  
  
Nevertheless she couldn't forget Cole's dream. If it was true, had she really done the right all time? Or was her flat refusal one reason, why he had become evil again? But finally she has never asked him to come back, on the contrary, she had already told him in the wasteland, that it was over between them. But if he hadn't come back, would she be killed by the bullet of the witch hunter? Everything was too chaotic, the whole situation was too confusing.  
  
But why should she think about it today, it wasn't important anymore who should have or shouldn't have done whatever. The past was exactly that, past, unchanging. And nothing of it meant inevitable, that she would ditch him again, if problems came up. Finally she tried to trust him, why couldn't he try it, too? But she didn't know exactly, if she would be strong enough to help him, if there were demon problems again. She hoped that she would be able to trust him again, but unfortunately she wasn't absolutely sure about it.  
  
On one hand she knew that she was able to live without him, but on the other hand she also knew, how it was to live without him. She had once thought, that he only had to be gone and she could start to live a new satisfied life, but it hadn't been so easy. She hadn't admit it, but she had always missed him. All the other men couldn't fulfill her. She could live without Cole, but she would never be really happy.  
  
Meanwhile Peter also couldn't sleep. He looked at Helen, who was sleeping peacefully and decided to go downstairs to drink something in the kitchen. He had his doubts, that he would find some sleep in this witches' house.  
  
When he went downstairs, he saw light in the living room. He looked through the door and saw Cole sitting there. It seemed as if he also couldn't sleep. Peter entered the room and asked surprised. "You are sleeping here?"  
  
"Yes, where do you think I should sleep? At home there are waiting demons in front of my door."  
  
"You're telling me?" Peter replied.  
  
At the same time Phoebe didn't see any hope neither to find a solution for her problems nor any sleep. Therefore she left the room carefully and tiptoed to the stairs. She persuaded herself, that she only wanted to go into the kitchen, but actually she had another destination. She went downstairs, when she suddenly heard voices from the living room. She stopped and listened, Peter and Cole talked together. Although she didn't want to eavesdrop, she didn't move on.  
  
Peter already sat down on a chair and looked at Cole. "Why aren't you sleeping upstairs with your girlfriend?"  
  
"Have you forgotten that you've occupied her room?" Cole asked calmly.  
  
"Is that the only reason?"  
  
"Probably, don't know, hard to say." Cole didn't want to talk about this subject therefore he changed it. "And Helen doesn't have any problems to sleep in this witches' house?"  
  
"No, doesn't seem so. And it doesn't disturb her to sleep in your former marriage bed." Peter grinned.  
  
Cole didn't go into it and said. "You know, when I found out that I have once lived here, I couldn't believe it. I mean, I've been a lawyer and there was no need for me to live here."  
  
"Well it isn't that bad."  
  
"But together with her sisters and her brother-in-law? I mean Phoebe had told me, that Leo is a doctor and it strucked me at rather strange, that a doctor, who probably earns a good salary, wants to live with his wife in her house, together with her sisters and their boyfriends. Well it isn't such a big house."  
  
"I would also be quite amazed about it. But finally this Leo isn't a doctor, so what is he?" Peter asked curiously.  
  
"Don't know, a kind of angel, or a protector or whatever."  
  
"Of course then he can't afford an own apartment. What do you mean, are they paid for rescued humans or killed demons?"  
  
"Probably they do it out of pure charity." Cole said sarcastically.  
  
"How noble-minded." Peter explained and continued. "But at least they go on well with each other here. Just the idea, that I would have to live together with Helen's sister, the sheer horror." Peter looked horrified.  
  
Cole laughed, Peter and Helen's sister couldn't stand each other. And Peter really hated her arrogant husband. "And then your damn brother-in-law."  
  
"Dreadful! I shudder at the thought of it." Peter told him. "But I also can't imagine that you have lived her."  
  
"Well as long as you only can't imagine that."  
  
"I don't try to imagine the other things." Peter explained.  
  
"That's good, but for you probably a dream has come true, finally I don't know a greater science fiction freak as you. And now you are in the middle of a movie."  
  
"I think I could do without it and this kind of movie would be called mystery, I'd say. And you can't die in movies. You can call me boring, but I love my life and I don't want to loose it." Peter stated soberly.  
  
"Well but dead doesn't mean dead here. For example I already rose from death twice, as far as I know."  
  
"That's alright then, but unfortunately I don't know, if it'll work with me, too, finally I'm only an insignificant human."  
  
Cole laughed. "And that really galls you, doesn't it?"  
  
"You can say that again. If something like that has to happen in my life, then I want to be the hero who protects all beautiful women from evil." Peter explained frustrated.  
  
"What shall I say? I'm the antihero, the crazy mass murderer, who doesn't want to die."  
  
"Well and I'm the poor idiot, everybody has to protect, the pure horror."  
  
"You're telling me?" Cole asked, while he thought of something. "But you are right, it gets me too, that they treated me condescendingly, only because I don't have any magical powers." Peter looked at him asking and Cole continued. "When we were in the corridor in front of our apartments. They have fought against these demons and when I had dared to approach, Phoebe had given me to understand that I should stay, where I was. As if I would only get in their way, well I'm not that incompetent that I'm not able to help them." He explained angrily.  
  
"So the good Phoebe has offended your manly pride, hasn't she?" Peter asked amused and got serious. "Well I'm really not the greatest fan of her, but she feared for your life. That was obvious. Therefore I can understand her."  
  
"Wonderful, as long as I do what she wants, she'll rescue me." Cole said sarcastically. "But if I dare to do something against her will, the whole matter will look quite different."  
  
"Don't you think you are unfair now?"  
  
"Do you think so?" Cole thought about it. "Even if, you are right. I'm not so helpless that she has to protect me, just because I don't have any demon powers ... anymore."  
  
"Would you like to have them?" Peter asked curiously. "I mean your demonic powers."  
  
"Don't know. I don't know, how it was to have them. And what the use of it was." Cole thought about it. "Of course it sounds tempting to have the power to get and reach everything you want without endless discussions or other trouble." But finally he hadn't got what he had really wanted, so what was the real use of it?  
  
"Well not to be sneezed at." Peter said meanwhile. "I think I wouldn't say no. As long as I wouldn't have to kill anybody. But perhaps you get used to it."  
  
"Really, do you think so?" Cole looked at his friend sceptically, who grinned back. "Well it doesn't turn me on as much to have power about somebody, or to see that somebody would be scared of me, that he would trembled all over. Although, it would be great, if the bastard Canterro did it."  
  
"Do you really think people were terrified of you?" Peter couldn't stop laughing. "Sorry, but I can't imagine such a situation."  
  
"I can assure you I looked a real fright." Cole tried to convince him.  
  
"Darth Maul without horns, well I don't know." Peter couldn't take it serious and started to laugh again.  
  
"It's great, that you can at least laugh about it."  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe was still standing on the stairs and wondered what she should do. She was lost in thoughts and didn't notice that the air vibrated behind her and a demon appeared. He looked down at his victim satisfied. Phoebe just noticed that there was someone behind her, when the demon grasped her and pushed his hand against her temple. This movement was like an electric shock and Phoebe fell on the ground with a soft groan.  
  
In the living room Cole jumped up alarmed. He had heard a muffled noise and he felt that something has happened. Peter looked at him confused and wanted to ask something, but Cole stopped him with a gesture. He entered the floor and Peter followed him. To their horror they saw a demon standing on the stairs holding an unconscious Phoebe in his arms. He stared at Cole horrified and shimmered away with his victim like a flash. Cole stared at the point, where they had stood seconds before and he didn't want to believe what he had just seen.  
  
"This creature had taken her along. And she didn't defend herself." Peter explained surprised.  
  
"She was unconscious." Cole snapped at him and shouted. "Hey you powerful witches, a demon has just kidnapped Phoebe, while you were sleeping quite coolly."  
  
When they had all assembled in the hallway, Piper looked at Cole frightened and asked. "What has happened?"  
  
"I don't know exactly, I've heard a noise and when we were coming here a demon was standing on the stairs with Phoebe in his arms, she was unconscious. When he saw us, he disappeared immediately." Cole told them and Peter nodded as confirmation.  
  
"And you couldn't do anything to help her?" Piper asked suspiciously.  
  
"What do you think I should do? I had no choice it happened too fast." What did she thought, Cole wondered angrily, he would have tried to rescue Phoebe even without magical powers, but the demon vanished too fast.  
  
"How did the demon look like?" Paige asked and looked at Cole expectantly.  
  
"No idea, strange, not really human."  
  
"What's that supposed to be? This description really can't help us." Paige snapped at him frustrated.  
  
"I've seen him only for a split second." Cole tried to justify himself.  
  
"You aren't useful for anything anymore." Paige told him angrily. "In the past you have at least been an demon expert."  
  
"I'm really sorry Paige, but you don't have to complain to me, that I have lost all my knowledge about demons, too. You should do it to the 'they have decided it' point."  
  
Paige gave him a sarcastic look.  
  
"And at all why do you want to know, which species this creature was, we know that it had been one of Canterro's demons." He explained her furiously.  
  
Piper looked at him thoughtfully. "What did Phoebe want on the stairs at this time."  
  
"She wanted to go to him." Paige looked at Cole angrily. "Because he had persuaded her, that she made mistakes in the past."  
  
"What makes you think of that. I haven't seen her." Cole explained angrily.  
  
In this moment the phone was ringing and they stared at each other astonished. Piper took the phone hesitated and listened. She wasn't very surprised to hear Jared Canterro's voice. He wanted to tell her, that he held Phoebe prisoner. "Why did you know, where you could find us?" Piper asked frightened.  
  
"Oh, Deacon this sissy has told me something about it, just before I erased his memory. He driveled that you have kidnapped his wife, or something like that. Although I really can't believe that you would do anything like that." He laughed. "Well and I already knew what Partas had told me about Belthazor and then I could add up two and two. You have to know I'm clever in contrary to these failures Deacon and Fleisher, but they didn't need to be clever, because they were born with golden spoons in their mouths." He became furious, but he got himself under control immediately. "In any case I want this demon. So tell him, if he wants back his little witch, he'll have to come into my house here in San Francisco."  
  
He hung up before Piper could answer. She looked stunned at the tooting phone in her hand.  
  
"What's going on?" Paige asked alarmed and looked at her sister frightened.  
  
"That was Canterro. He has Phoebe." Piper explained softly and looked at Cole. "If we want to rescue her, you'll have to go to his house."  
  
Cole looked at her thoughtful, then he nodded. "Okay, if that's the only chance, I'll go there of course."  
  
"Rubbish." Paige told him. "You even aren't able to defend yourself."  
  
"You aren't able to do it, either. Or did you forget, that you can't use your magic in his house?" Cole remembered her.  
  
"But we have much more experience in it."  
  
"Yes and I also had experience in it. But okay, I can do without it. It isn't a great pleasure to go to Canterro, so if you have a better idea, I'm listening."  
  
Paige and Piper looked at each other helpless. "Without magic I have no idea at the moment."  
  
"But you can use your powers here." Cole told them and saw their doubtful looks. "You always keep harping on my loss of powers, but where shall be the use of your powers, if you aren't able to rescue your sister."  
  
"We only need some time to think about it. It's no use, if you give yourself up to Canterro. You don't have any chance to rescue Phoebe with that."  
  
"Perhaps I'll come up with something. Hey, he thinks that I'm a powerful demon."  
  
"But he'll find out soon that you aren't. And then your life is worthless for him and probably Phoebe's life, too. No, you'll stay here, we'll find a way, we have always found one." Piper tried to convince Cole and herself. She decided to go onto the attic together with Paige and Leo to search for a solution of this problem.  
  
The other three stayed downstairs and went back into the living room. Cole was angry that they went on the attic and had excluded him. He looked at Peter disgruntled and asked. "You went here by car, didn't you?"  
  
"Yes, why?" Peter feared the worst. "Don't have silly ideas, they'll manage it, don't worry."  
  
"Well I've my doubts about it. Come on Peter, you only have to take me to Canterro's house. I'll settle the rest."  
  
"Are you crazy? They are right you have no chance against Canterro." Helen snapped at him.  
  
Cole looked at the table and took the energy ball glove, which was still lying there. "But he doesn't know, that I'm no superdemon anymore. He is probably afraid of me and wants to negotiate." When he saw their sceptical looks, he continued. "He thinks that I'm able to get over his blocking of magic. Therefore he wants to talk to me and not to kill me. I've better chances to manage something than these powerless witches upstairs."  
  
"I don't think it's a good idea." Peter explained unhappy.  
  
"But I think so. And that's all about me, isn't it? Come on Peter, do me the favor. If you don't do it, I'll call a taxi." Cole said and walked determined to the phone.  
  
Peter looked at Helen asking. "Don't do it Cole." She tried to put him off doing it.  
  
He turned around. "But where is the risk? If I don't get anywhere with him, then he'll hold me as prisoner, like he holds Phoebe and the two super witches can try to rescue both of us."  
  
"And if he only waits for the chance to get you, to do something to Phoebe?" Helen tried to bring him to his senses.  
  
"Well he won't do anything to her, finally he'll seize the opportunity to keep a witch on a short lead." Cole told her.  
  
Peter sighed and took the keys of Helen's car. "Okay, I don't see a chance to stop you, but I tell you it's madness."  
  
Helen looked at him piercing. "Don't try to play the hero. If it's too dangerous, you'll stop it and come back, do you promise me?"  
  
Cole nodded. "Don't worry, I won't allow Peter to expose himself to danger."  
  
"Well I don't worry about him, but about you." Helen said and followed them to the door. She hugged both of them for good bye and looked behind them. Then she closed the door and looked upstairs. She wondered if she should tell them something about it. But perhaps Cole was right and he would have more chances to succeed than they would have. No, she could hardly believe it, but nevertheless she decided to give him some time. She walked back into the living room and sat down.  
  
When Cole and Peter arrived in the street in front of Canterro's house, Peter switched off the light and stopped at the neighbour site. "Do you really want to go there?" He asked and looked at his friend doubtfully.  
  
Cole nodded. "I have to try it. Everything will go alright."  
  
Peter sighed. "Well to be honest, I think you make light of this matter. This guy is dangerous." He had a funny feeling about this.  
  
"That's it. And Phoebe is at his mercy. I have to try to help her."  
  
"Okay, I know I can't stop you, but be careful. And good luck."  
  
Cole opened the door and got off the car. He turned back and gave Peter and optimistical look. Then he went to the building. Peter watched him disappear and decided to wait in his car, perhaps Cole would come back soon.  
  
A domestic opened the door and asked Cole to come in. Cole wondered, if it was a demon or a human, but he couldn't see the thin thread on his neck, so it was probably a human. He led him into a reception room and told him, that Mr. Canterro would come soon, then he left the room.  
  
When he was alone, Cole looked around. The room was filled with old- fashioned furniture and there were pictures of the same kind at the walls. Everything seemed too exaggerated and showy, therefore the room wasn't very pleasant. He supposed, if he should sit down on the uncomfortable coach, when in the back of the room a secret door opened. Canterro and two demons appeared.  
  
"I want to negotiate about Phoebe with you." Cole explained calmly.  
  
"Negotiate?" Canterro laughed. "Do you think you are in the position to negotiate?" He shook his head slowly. "Well it doesn't seem so."  
  
"Really?" Cole asked frustrated.  
  
"Yes, I have your little girlfriend in my hands. And your powers don't work here, and even if then only limited."  
  
"Are you so sure about it?" Cole asked and looked at him challenging. "Do you really think I'd be here, if I wasn't able to defend myself?"  
  
"Rumors claim that you would do everything for this witch." Canterro explained and looked at Cole self-satisfied. He started to laugh and said. "I can read you like a book." He made a signal to his demons and they stepped beside him.  
  
Cole looked at Canterro, he was furious about the whole situation, it took a bad course. If Canterro expected a fight now, he'll get it. Cole had imagined something different.  
  
The secret door opened again and three other demons appeared. Cole saw that a thin thread was coming from the back of the neck of every demon and ended in the necklace Canterro had around his neck.  
  
Cole cursed himself, that he hadn't asked the sisters for a magical knife, which could cut this connection.  
  
"Do you think you can defeat all of them?" Canterro asked. "Then do it, I'm waiting." He sat down on a chair and looked around expectantly.  
  
Cole ducked and jumped aside to Canterro, but before he could throw his artificial energy ball at him, one of Canterro's servile demons hit him hard and Cole fell against the wall. When he fell down, he thought angrily that the main aim of these demons were to protect their boss.  
  
Cole knew that he wouldn't be able to solve this problem, he had no chance. He looked at the door, he had to try to escape. Quick as a flash he threw an energy ball at the demons and jumped to the door. But when he opened it another demon was standing in front of him. Cole recognized him as the demon, who had kidnapped Phoebe. The creature grinned at him nastily and before Cole knew what was happening, the demon had pushed his hand against Cole's temple and he fell unconsciously onto the ground. 


	40. Chapter 40

Thanks for your reviews!! I'm really glad that there are always some people who read it. So I don't want to keep you waiting too long for the next chapter and here it is.  
  
Chapter 40  
  
Paige and Piper were still on the attic of the Halliwell Manor, when Leo told them that there was a possibility to destroy the blocking of magic, but they needed the Power of Three.  
  
"Well unfortunately we only have the power of two at the moment." Piper told him helplessly and leafed through the book. They had also found a hint in the book, how they could destroy one of this amulets, but unfortunately they needed the Power of Three and an intact working receiver seal for it.  
  
Meanwhile Helen was waiting for Cole and Peter. She looked at the watch every minute, but nobody was coming. She shirked telling the sisters that Cole went to Canterro. She kept putting off again five minutes and again five minutes.  
  
At the same time Peter was waiting in front of Canterro's house. He had already waited more than an hour, but Cole didn't appear again. He feared the worst and cursed himself to take him here. He still waited 30 minutes and again 30 minutes. Then he had lost the hope that Cole would come out of the house again. He decided to go back to the Halliwell Manor.  
  
When he entered the house he went to Helen into the living room. She hugged him in relief and looked for Cole. Peter shook his head. "He didn't come out of the house again." He told her concerned.  
  
"Then we have to tell them." Helen said and looked unhappy to the stairs. "Whether we like it or not."  
  
Peter nodded and they went to the stairs.  
  
On the attic Piper had just shut the book angrily. "We won't find a solution here. I know it isn't a good idea, but I think we'll have to go to Canterro. Hopefully we'll find a solution there."  
  
Leo looked at her concerned. "But what's the use if you expose to danger, too? Canterro won't do anything until he'll get Cole. Therefore Phoebe is safe at the moment."  
  
"But we have to do something." Paige told him resolutely.  
  
They looked up, when the door opened and Helen looked into the room. "Can we come in for a moment?" She asked carefully. While Peter was standing behind her.  
  
"I think we should talk in the living room." Piper decided and they left the attic and went went downstairs.  
  
When they arrived in the hallway, Piper looked around alarmed. "Where is Cole?" She asked and was prepared for the worst.  
  
"He wanted to go to Canterro." Peter explained her calmly. He didn't want to justify himself and continued stubbornly. "I've taken him to Canterro's house, he went in but didn't come out again."  
  
Piper closed her eyes. "Oh no, but that was to be expected."  
  
"How could you take him there?" Paige asked and shook her head.  
  
"Otherwise he wanted to call a taxi. We couldn't stop him, it's impossible when he takes something into his head. He thought that Canterro would negotiate with him. But I suppose his plan misfired." Peter told them.  
  
"When did he go there?" Piper asked calmly.  
  
"More than two hours ago." Helen told her softly.  
  
When Cole woke up, he noticed that he was lying on a plank bed in an empty room. When he looked up, he saw Phoebe sitting beside him. She stroked his hair absent-minded. He turned his head aside to look at her face, but this movement left a stabbing pain in his neck. He groaned.  
  
Phoebe took her hand from his head and stood up. She looked at him concerned and asked softly. "Is everything alright?"  
  
Cole tried to sat up. He felt dizzy, but otherwise he felt well, under these circumstances. "Yes, I think so." He told her and looked around. "Where are we?"  
  
Phoebe shrugged her shoulders and sat down beside him. "Somewhere in Canterro's underground dungeons, I think." She looked at him asking. "Well I know, why I am here, but how did you get here?"  
  
"Canterro had called us, after the demon had kidnapped you. He wanted me to come to his house."  
  
"And you've done it?" Phoebe asked surprised but on the other hand she wasn't surprised. "Weren't my sisters against it? I mean that you're going alone?"  
  
"They didn't have a better plan. I couldn't sit around there quite coolly, while you were in Canterro's hands. I couldn't wait until they would finally have a flash of inspiration." He tried to defend himself.  
  
"And what was your great plan?"  
  
"Well I thought Canterro would talk to me." He looked at her and smiled as excuse. "That would have been possible, finally he thinks that I'm a powerful superdemon. But unfortunately he had a pack of demons there."  
  
Phoebe got up and hugged him. "Oh Cole," She said softly. "perhaps you are right, it isn't very safe for you, when we are together."  
  
"I don't complain about it." He looked at her. "I don't know, everything isn't real for me. Probably these guys indoctrinated me with some skepticism relation to magic. Because I can't believe anything of this, despite of everything what had happened. I'm still waiting that someone is coming through the door and gives me a scientific explanation."  
  
"But you won't get it." Phoebe looked at him forceful.  
  
"Yes I know, nevertheless I'm still thinking that I'll wake up next moment in my apartment in Seattle and everything was only a bad dream."  
  
"And would you like that?" She asked and looked at him with a trace of fear in her eyes.  
  
Cole was silent and looked around in the cell. "Well you have really chosen the wrong moment to ask me this question." He told her and sighed. "But I think ... no." He looked at her with a smile and to his own surprise he had no doubts about it.  
  
"Oh Cole." Phoebe said and flung her arms around his neck to kiss him.  
  
Cole saw no reason not to kiss her. Both of them didn't know, what would happen and therefore they clung to each other like drowning people.  
  
But suddenly Phoebe stopped it and freed herself from him. She looked at him confused. "What do you have at your neck?" She asked and stepped behind him.  
  
"What do you mean?" He asked surprised.  
  
Phoebe pushed his head down to take a close look on his neck. "Oh my god." She let out. "There in you neck is the symbol of Canterrro." She touched it disgusted. "It's made of metal and it's tight in your skin. Your skin is red and wound around it, they made it by surgery, I suppose." She stared at him horrified and touched her own neck. When she felt the metallic seal in her neck she sat down on the plank bed again. "Oh no." She said softly, "What are they going to do with us?" She looked at Cole desperately.  
  
"Don't worry," he tried to calm her down. "Your sisters will find a way to rescue us. Hey, they always do it, it's their job." Cole told her confidentially. And put his arm around her.  
  
Phoebe looked up at him and smiled weakly. Then she took his face in her hands and explained. "I love you Cole, do you know that? Despite of everything what had happened, I always did it and will always do it." She kissed him first softly and then more intensively and tried not to touch the seal at his neck.  
  
They were so busy with each other, that they didn't hear that the door of the cell was opened and Canterro entered the room. He looked at them and said with a smugly smile. "Oh how sweet!"  
  
Cole noticed that Phoebe hardened in his arms. He let her go and saw that her expression had changed. She was sitting on the plank bed and stared straight on.  
  
"Phoebe?" Cole whispered, but she didn't move, but looked at him fuddled.  
  
Canterro stepped to the plank bed and Cole watched a thin thread shining from Phoebe's neck to Canterro amulet. He looked behind himself and saw the same thread, but he didn't feel anything.  
  
Canterro grinned at them. "So my turtledoves, everything went easier than I've expected. I'm really sorry to disturb you, but I have a first order for you." He walked through the room cooly and it was obvious, that he wasn't afraid anybody could attack him.  
  
Cole supposed that the seal didn't work with him. He didn't know why, but he feared that it could change soon. But at the moment he didn't want to draw Canterro's attention to this malfunctioning. Therefore he tried to stare straight on with a glassy look.  
  
"I want to check your qualities now. For the beginning I'll give you my loyal Xerus at your side." He slapped the back of the demon standing beside him patronizing. "You'll take me your famous Book of Shadows. I've my doubts that I'll find anything interesting there. But I don't want to take the risk, that it possibly says something about a way you could destroy my blocking of magic. Although the book can't help anybody anymore, finally the Power of Three is only a power of two now." He told them sneering. "But you can't be careful enough, I've learnt." He turned to Xerus. "You'll report me, if they'll give a good account of themselves."  
  
The demon nodded and stepped beside Phoebe. She stood up and Cole did the same. He noticed out of the corner of his eyes, that Xerus took Phoebes hand to teleport her to the Manor. Cole touched them inconspicuously, because he hoped he would go with them. It would be rather unpleasant for Cole, if Canterro noticed that the superdemon couldn't even shimmer.  
  
Meanwhile Leo had orbed Helen and Peter to one of their friends in Seattle. The house wasn't safe for them anymore, because Canterro knew where the sisters lived. They didn't know for certain, if he was still interested in Helen and Peter, but Paige and Piper supposed, that he wouldn't let them get away. He wouldn't accept that anybody knows anything about his machinations and Peter and Helen were from the press.  
  
When Peter and Helen weren't in danger anymore, Leo tried to find a place to stay for Paige and Piper. But they refused it flatly to leave the Manor. They were still on the attic and tried to find a solution. They decided that they'll go to Canterro next morning, if they don't find a better plan until that time. The three racked their brains, when they suddenly heard a noise on the stairs. Piper and Paige rushed out of the room and faced Phoebe, Cole and a demon. Piper wanted to hug her sister in relief, but Phoebe threw her downstairs.  
  
Paige watched it shocked and looked at Phoebe, who stared straight on motionless. "Phoebe, what are you doing?" Paige asked and didn't dare to get closer to her, because she didn't want to end up downstairs, too. "We are your sisters, hey, come to yourself again." She tried to bring her to her senses.  
  
Meanwhile Piper got back on her feet again and wanted to go upstairs, when Xerus appeared beside her and pushed his hand against her temple. She groaned and fell down on the ground again. Phoebe didn't care about it and walked into the attic, Paige didn't know, how she should stop her.  
  
"Have you already found anything to cut the connection?" Cole asked her and watched Phoebe, who was going to carry out her order without hesitation.  
  
"What?" Paige looked at him suspiciously, she couldn't understand, why he seemed to be so normal in contrast to Phoebe.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe entered the room, where Leo was waiting. He looked at her surprised. "Phoebe?" He asked, but she didn't notice him, she only looked at the Book of Shadows.  
  
Paige stepped beside Leo and took the athame from the table. She held it in her hand and searched for the connection.  
  
"Cut the thread." Cole ordered her, when he stepped into the room, too.  
  
Paige looked around and saw only Phoebe going slowly to the book and didn't care about anything else. Paige couldn't find any magical connection. "Where?" She asked confused.  
  
"There at her neck." Cole gesticulated wildly. "Come on, cut it."  
  
"But I don't see anything." Paige said and cut half-hearted through the air.  
  
Cole groaned furiously. "Are you blind? It's in front of your nose" He stepped to her and wanted to take the knife out of her hand.  
  
Paige looked at him threatening. "Don't dare you!" She hissed at him.  
  
He looked back angrily. "You'll give me the knife, if you don't manage to cut it." He snapped at her.  
  
Paige didn't know, what to do and looked at Leo helplessly.  
  
"It won't do any harm." Leo explained and Paige gave Cole the athame. "If you do anything to her, I'll kill you." She told him.  
  
"Can't you think of anything better?" Cole asked not very impressed of this threat. "It's getting boring."  
  
Meanwhile Xerus had entered the room, too. He wanted to see what was happening to report it to Canterro. Cole stepped behind him, because he decided to test the usefulness of the athame at him first. He cut the shining thread and it spooled back into the direction of the commander. Only a short piece of the thread remained at Xerus's neck and finally it disappeared, too. The demon looked around as if he woke up after a long sleep. He seemed to be rather confused and he had no interest to fight, because he shimmered away immediately.  
  
Now Cole turned to Phoebe, who was already on her way back with the book in her hand. He raised the athame and cut the connection. The thread reeled up again and Phoebe fell on the ground. Paige told Leo immediately, that Piper was injured in the hall and rushed to Phoebe, while Leo left the room hasty to go to his wife.  
  
Cole kneeled down beside the sisters. "Are you alright?" He asked Phoebe concerned.  
  
She sat up and held her head, then she nodded and looked around. When she recognized the attic and Paige, she asked astonished. "How did we get here?"  
  
"Canterro gave us the order to take the book." He pointed at the book, lying beside her.  
  
Phoebe touched her head again. "But why can't I remember anything?" She asked thoughtfully and touched her neck carefully, because she remembered the seal again. "Oh no, it's still there." She said horrified.  
  
Paige looked at her asking. "What's the matter?"  
  
"Look there, at my neck." Phoebe pushed her hair aside to show her the seal.  
  
Paige looked at it fascinated. "Incredible." She said and touched it with her finger, while Leo and Piper entered the room.  
  
"Why did you throw me downstairs?" Piper asked still angry about her sister.  
  
"What?" Phoebe looked at her confused.  
  
"It was this connection to Canterro. It wasn't her fault. He gave us the order to take the book." Cole explained again.  
  
Leo looked at him sceptically. "And why doesn't it work with you?"  
  
"I don't know. Perhaps magic doesn't work with me anymore." He looked back with a cynical smile. "You should ask your friends about it, not me."  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe understood, what Cole meant with this connection to Canterro. "Do you think the seal in my neck made it possible, that I had to obey his orders?" She remembered that she had followed the order of a voice in her head.  
  
Cole nodded and Phoebe tried to tear off the seal in her neck, but it was too tight. She looked at the others and cried hysterically. "Cut it off, I want to get rid of it immediately."  
  
Cole bended to her and held her hand. "Are you crazy? You would bleed to death." He tried to bring her to her senses.  
  
"You're very much mistaken there." She hissed at him. "Leo can heal me."  
  
Now Leo stepped beside her. "You have to calm down first, Phoebe. Cole had cut the connection, Canterro can't reach you anymore."  
  
Paige looked at Cole suspiciously. "Why could you see this connection? I haven't seen anything of it."  
  
"I don't know, for me it was quite clear." He turned around and looked up to find his own connection. Finally he saw it and pointed at it. "There, it is."  
  
Paige, Piper and Leo looked at him confused, they didn't see anything. When he saw their asking expressions, he looked at the thread again, which was near to his hand. "Why can't you see it?" He wondered and took the athame to cut it. Even if it didn't work, he didn't want to maintain it. He just wanted to cut it, when Piper stepped beside him and stopped him. "Wait one moment." She said. "We need an intact connection to destroy Canterro's amulet."  
  
Cole looked at her in disbelief. "Do you really want me to maintain this connection?"  
  
Piper shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, why not, it doesn't work."  
  
"Hopefully, perhaps Canterro will find the defect. I don't have the intention to run around as a weak-willed mutant."  
  
Leo shook his head. "No, that won't happen, he can only direct magic with these seals."  
  
"That's it." Paige nodded. "And you don't have any demonic powers anymore. What shall he direct?"  
  
"Don't know, perhaps he'll find something." Cole told her angrily.  
  
"Can't you stop your quarreling, we've other problems. I want to get rid of this awful .. thing." Phoebe remembered them furiously.  
  
Leo stepped behind her to take a close look at the seal. "I don't know, if it's connected with some nerves." He pointed out, but Phoebe didn't want to hear anything of it, she wanted to get rid of the seal as soon as possible. They decided to go downstairs into the kitchen, to try it there.  
  
When they walked downstairs Cole asked thoughtfully. "Don't you think we should vanish here? Canterro has probably noticed that the connection to Phoebe and the demon is cut up."  
  
Piper looked at him and said. "You are right, but perhaps he doesn't want to loose one of his other demons until he knows, how we could cut it. And he can follow you with your connection."  
  
"Then we should finally cut it." Cole told her.  
  
Piper shook her head. "No, be patient, you'll have to wait a minute." She told him and when she saw his morose look, she added. "Well you've only yourself to blame. Why did you have to run to Canterro without telling us anything about it?"  
  
"Because you locked yourself up in the attic and didn't do anything."  
  
"But there was no reason, why you had to try it on your own without a plan." Piper explained firmly.  
  
"No? Well you haven't found a plan yet." Cole stated.  
  
"How do you want to know?" Paige asked and took a cream, which would ease the pain out of the fridge.  
  
"Because you were still sitting around and looking helplessly."  
  
"We have thought about the problem in contrast to you." Paige told him sneering and stepped behind Phoebe to smear the cream onto her neck.  
  
"But that didn't get you anywhere." Cole told them sarcastically.  
  
"Of course it was much more successful to visit Canterro. After your negotiation, Canterro kept you prisoner and fitted you with this wonderful seal." Piper remembered him.  
  
"But you shouldn't forget, that we are here now." Cole told her satisfied.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe sat down and laid her head on the table. Leo examined the metallic seal again. "I really don't know." He said doubtfully, but then he took the scalpel and tried to remove the seal carefully. In spite of the painkilling cream, Phoebe winced and clenched her teeth. "Go on, don't dare to stop it." She told him through her teeth.  
  
Leo removed the seal and healed the wound immediately. Cole looked at it fascinated. "That's great." he muttered.  
  
Piper took the metal seal and looked at it. "It looks rather harmless." She said thoughtfully.  
  
In this moment they heard a noise from the attic. They rushed out of the kitchen and saw three demons on the stairs, who attacked them immediately.  
  
The sisters defended themselves, while Cole took the athame and tried to cut the connections. He managed to cut the shinning thread in front of his nose. The first demon watched around with a blank look. He seemed to be very confused and disappeared immediately. Meanwhile Piper had blown up the second demon and Cole cut the thread of the third one. But when this demon wake up of his paralysis, he grinned at Cole coldly and tried to attack him with an energy ray. Cole, who was really furious about this thanklessness, jumped aside and it didn't reach him. The sisters vanquished the demon and Cole couldn't deny his gloating about it. "I have freed him from Canterro and he wanted to kill me." He explained angrily.  
  
"Well, that was a demon, what did you expect?" Piper asked and shrugged her shoulders. Then she turned to Leo. "Do you think you can remove Cole's seal without damaging it?" She asked.  
  
"I can try it." Leo said and they walked into the kitchen again. He asked Cole to sit down and took the scalpel.  
  
"One moment." Cole hesitated. "Are you able to heal me, too? I mean, not only them?" He asked doubtfully.  
  
"I can heal mortals, which were hurt of magic." Leo explained and Cole sat down still hesitating.  
  
"But if you want to use it, you'll have to hold it tight. When I cut the other connections, the thread reeled up like a tight rubber band." he explained.  
  
Piper agreed to hold it and Phoebe smeared the cream on Cole's neck. When it took effect Leo started to remove the seal with the scalpel. Cole winced of pain, but he took care not to utter a sound. If Phoebe could bear it without any moaning, he wouldn't stand back. When Leo got out the seal and healed the wound, Cole breathed in relief.  
  
Piper held the seal tightly in her hand and the others looked at it interested. Cole glanced at it, too, he could still see the thin connection thread. Piper looked at him asking and he nodded. "It's still there." Cole told her.  
  
Piper looked at her sister. "Phoebe, do you feel well enough to write a spell?"  
  
She nodded and sat down. Piper told her what kind of spell they needed and Phoebe started to work.  
  
Cole watched it interested and turned to Leo. "Where are Helen and Peter?" He wanted to know.  
  
Leo explained him that it wasn't safe for them in the house anymore and that he had taken them to one of their friends in Seattle.  
  
Cole nodded and wondered again, why they were still here.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe had finished the spell and asked. "What do you think are Canterro's plans?"  
  
"Well I think he wants to block the magic in the whole town first, then in the whole country and finally in the whole world." Leo supposed. "If he can manage that, he'll be the only person who is able to use magic and he could probably get the power over the world."  
  
"And he is able to do it?"  
  
"It seems so." Piper said. "But if our spell works, we'll put a damper on his plans."  
  
Phoebe read the spell again and stepped beside Paige and Piper, who was still holding the seal in her hand. Together they read the spell.  
  
Cole watched the shining thread which slowly changed it's color into blue. "And now you have the possibility to get control over Canterro?" he asked thoughtfully.  
  
"No," Phoebe replied. "We can only destroy his seal. It's probably the amulet he just has around his neck. So we only cut the connection he has to his demons and it'll only free the demons, which are on the way to their orders, I suppose." She shrugged her shoulders. "We don't know, how to destroy the complete blocking yet." She looked at him attentively and asked. "Does anything happen to the connection?"  
  
Cole looked at her disbelieving, he still couldn't understand, why they couldn't see the thread. "Yes the thread is blue now and it seems as if the impulse is coming from our seal now." He took a close look at the thread and saw that it started to vibrate. "Now it starts to move, it stretches on and pulls together and oh, now it's broken." He told them.  
  
"Really?" Phoebe asked and looked at her sisters. "Do you think it worked?" None of them could say it.  
  
"If it worked, we would just have to find the origin source of the main seal, which gives the power to Canterro. If we are able to reprogram it, as we did it with Cole's seal, we'll be able tp destroy it and the blocking of magic, too." Phoebe supposed.  
  
"And how did he get this seal?" Cole asked.  
  
"The four got their amulets, when they made the deal with the underworld. It should be only used for their connection with each other, I suppose. Nobody of the underworld had planned that Canterro would use and reprogram it to reach his own goal, namely to make magic usable for himself." Piper explained. "But the seal which is able to block magic must be different, I suppose. Because the symbols we've already seen were only able to direct magic."  
  
"Do you think it could have been the one in the hall with the cage?" Paige asked.  
  
"No, I think this seal only directed magic, too. And it looked like the symbol of Canterro's amulet." Phoebe supposed.  
  
"If we know the counterpart of the transmitter, we won't have to know, where Canterro put the seal." Piper pointed out.  
  
"Can't you ask Michael Deacon about it." Cole suggested.  
  
"Not a bad idea, we can try it and drop by, but unfortunately I think Canterro had erased his memories." Piper said.  
  
When Phoebe remembered someone else. "And Fleisher?" She looked at her sisters asking.  
  
"Do you really think he would tell us anything?" Piper asked sceptically. "He'll prefer to bite his tongue, but he won't help us."  
  
"Yes, unfortunately you are right." Phoebe said and looked at Cole, then she started to smile. "But I think I've an idea. Call Darryl and ask him, if he can arrange a meeting with Fleisher." 


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41  
  
Short time later Phoebe and Cole were on the way to his apartment. When they reached the building, they got off the car and entered the house. They chose the stairs to get to the right floor. When they reached it, Phoebe looked around the corner to the corridor, but she couldn't see any demon, everything seemed quiet and peaceful. They walked along the corridor and passed the door to Helen's and Peter's apartment. Cole saw traces of the fight the evening before at the wall and said. "Mm, you probably have to spend a lot of money for renovations, when I look around the corridor here."  
  
Phoebe looked at the wall, she didn't notice little things like that anymore. "You're telling me?" She asked. "Sometimes we have to use up all our money for renovations. And if we have just repaired a table, you can be sure, that a demon immediately appears to destroy it again. But luckily we have Leo, he is very talented in repairing things on his own."  
  
They arrived at Cole's door and Phoebe listened carefully. When she didn't hear any noise, she unlocked the door and entered the apartment. She looked around attentively, but she couldn't see anything conspicuous, no trace of demons. She turned around and told Cole "I don't think that a demon had been here. They probably don't know that you are living here."  
  
Just when she said that, her phone was ringing. She answered the call and heard Paige on the other line. She wanted to know if everything was alright. When Phoebe told her, that everything was silent, Paige said, that Darryl had arranged a meeting with Fleisher, she told her sister the address and time and hung up.  
  
Meanwhile Cole was standing in front of his wardrobe. "Well I don't know, Phoebe. Since I'm not working as a demon lawyer anymore, I don't have a lot of suits." He looked at her doubtfully.  
  
"And the one you wore on the charity ball?" Phoebe suggested and stepped beside him.  
  
Cole took the mentioned suit out of the wardrobe and looked at it sceptically. "This one? That's for balls and something like that. I think these guys from the FBI wear more formal ones."  
  
Phoebe searched in Cole's wardrobe, but she couldn't find anything better. She turned around and looked at the suit again. "I think it'll serve it's purpose." She decided and sat down on the bed.  
  
"If you say so." Cole looked at it sceptically and searched for a shirt which would go with the suit. He took it out of the wardrobe.  
  
Phoebe watched him and said softly. "Cole, I've thought about it, I mean, what you have asked me."  
  
"What?" He looked at her asking, while he unbuttoned his shirt.  
  
"If I'd let you down, if there cropped up problems." She explained calmly, although she supposed that he knew exactly what she was talking about. "Okay, no matter what will come. I promise you, that I won't do it." She looked at him seriously. Well, she couldn't swear to it, but she was ready for everything.  
  
"Okay." Cole said and put his shirt on the chair beside his wardrobe.  
  
"Okay?" She looked at him indignantly. "Okay? That's all?"  
  
"Yes, what shall I say?" He asked and pretended to be surprised.  
  
"Well, you could be a little bit more enthusiastic about it." She got off from the bed and walked towards him.  
  
"About what? That you promised me, not to kill me immediately the next time?" He looked at her asking.  
  
She was standing in front of him now and stared at him forcefully. "How often do I still have to tell you that you had deserved it?"  
  
"And if I'll deserve it again, in future?"  
  
"That won't happen. I'll see to that. Trust me." She told him resolutely.  
  
Cole looked at her sceptically, when she started to grin crafty. She flung her arms around his neck and ran one hand over his body to his belt. "Shall I help you to change your clothes?"  
  
"Do you really think, that you can bribe me so easily?" He asked joking and stroked his hand over her hair.  
  
"Well it's worth a try." Meanwhile she had opened his trousers with one hand and with her other hand she pulled his face down to her lips to kiss him.  
  
Without hesitation he kissed her back and muttered. "When do we have to meet Fleisher?"  
  
"We still have enough time." Phoebe explained and put off her pullover without letting him go.  
  
After it she tried to put off her trousers and Cole offered her his help. When they had managed it, Phoebe pulled him on the bed with a satisfied smile.  
  
There was no reason for Cole to stop it. Finally she had promised to help him, if there would crop up problems, that was a beginning. And who could say, how long they would still be alive, if Canterro had the world domination, Cole thought amused. So why shouldn't they enjoy their lives, as long as they still had it. He kissed her more intensively and ran his hands over her back, while they were falling on the bed.  
  
When Phoebe was lying satisfied in Cole's arms some time later, she asked innocently. "So, have you changed your attitude towards me now?"  
  
"Mm! Could you ask me again, after we managed to snatch the world domination from Canterro?" He asked her with a smile.  
  
She looked at him disappointed. "You still don't trust me, do you?"  
  
"It's not only you," He tried to explain her. "I even don't know myself very well and you told me, that you had to kill me, that ...." He didn't continue.  
  
Phoebe sighed and when she looked at him, she felt the need to explain. "Well I don't say that it was wrong to vanquish you, because it wasn't. But I can't exclude that, well I also ... perhaps ... made some mistakes. When you came back, I wasn't really fair to you."  
  
"Oh!" He felt that this statement demanded a lot from her.  
  
"Well yes, you've managed, that I've wondered, why I have ever loved you. I thought you didn't deserve my help and I've started to see the negative in everything you have done, I have always supposed the worst, even if it wasn't the truth."  
  
"What kind of realization out of your mouth." Cole looked at her surprised.  
  
Phoebe looked back angrily. "Yes, of course it's easy for you, you've forgotten everything. But to your information: in the end, I was right."  
  
Cole sat up and said. "Well as I already told you, I even don't know myself."  
  
Phoebe sat up, too. "That's not right, you know yourself. This is you, the other one that was the demon."  
  
He turned to her and looked at her attentively. "Are you sure about it?"  
  
"Yes, certainly." She hugged him tightly and sat up to look him close into the eyes. "I am sure, absolutely sure."  
  
After they dressed up again, they set off to the meeting with Harold Fleisher. They had to drive for a while, until they entered a guard on the street. The house where Harold Fleisher was accommodated, was in a district, where only residents and visitors with an invitation could pass the guard. But Darryl had announced Phoebe and Cole and they could pass it without any problems. Some minutes later they arrived in front of a house, which was secluded. They had to pass another gate until they finally reached the entrance. They got off the car and entered the house.  
  
A woman led them into a room and Harold Fleisher appeared short time later. He seemed to be even more tensed than Phoebe remembered him. "What are you doing here?" He asked unwillingly and looked morose at Phoebe. "It is due to you that I'm here." He sat down on a chair standing around an old oak table. "I won't tell you anything." He told her, without waiting for her questions.  
  
"Well, you'll change your mind." Phoebe answered coldly and sat down opposite to him. Cole sat beside her and took out his memo pad. "Mr. Torrens beside me belongs to the FBI." Phoebe told Fleisher. "He investigates about supernatural phenomenon. He knows, what is going on here and he is concerned that you are dealing with black magic."  
  
"Really? Well, can you prove anything of it?" Fleisher asked sneering and leaned back self-satisfied.  
  
"We don't talk about evidences, Mr. Fleisher. The point is, that your friend Canterro uses magic for his own objects." Phoebe continued.  
  
"Then you should care about him. I've nothing to do with it. I'm a blameless citizen, who is kept here unjustly."  
  
"I think the district attorney's office will see that differently." Phoebe told him angrily. "It will be interpreted positive for you, if you answer our questions."  
  
"You don't expect me to believe that, do you?"  
  
Cole watched their dispute, until he blew his top. He jumped up and leaned forward to Fleisher. "Listen carefully, we don't ask you to answer our questions, we demand it, okay?" He looked at him forcefully.  
  
"You can't make me telling you anything." Fleisher told him and stood up, too.  
  
"Oh, really?" Cole walked up to him. "Well we could tell the demons, where they can find you. I think that wouldn't be very good for your ... health. They are rather annoyed at your disappearance."  
  
Fleisher looked at Phoebe. "You would never do that. Finally you wanted to rescue me." He said triumphantly.  
  
"No, she won't do it." Cole said with a nasty grin. "But I. Who do you think I am? Mm? Well I won't care if something happens to you. I won't mind if the demons slowly tear you to pieces, well for me it'll be a pleasure to watch it. Although I could tell you some other nice tortures." He told him thoughtfully. "You'll be happy, if you die fast."  
  
Fleisher looked at Phoebe again. "But you won't let him tell them anything, will you?"  
  
Phoebe shrugged her shoulders. "What shall I do? He has more powers than I have."  
  
"You see, be good now, sit down again and answer her questions, otherwise I'll find myself compelled to call your demonic friends." Cole told him calmly.  
  
Fleisher walked to the chair again and sat down. "But how can I be sure, that you won't ...."  
  
"Mm," Cole let out thoughtfully. "You can't. So answer our questions as good as you are able to."  
  
Phoebe turned to Fleisher again. "Okay, first you'll have to tell us, how you and the others got into connection with the underworld."  
  
"But you won't tell anything of it to the police, will you?" Fleisher asked concerned.  
  
"Do we look like persons, who'll give it away to the police?" Cole asked irritable and Fleisher started to recount.  
  
They found out, that Jared Canterro had arranged the whole matter. Michael Deacon and Harold Fleisher didn't understand, what was going on. Everything sounded too tempting. Both of them weren't in a very good position at university. And they had no objections to a little support. They understood that they got involved with demons later. But the demons didn't demand a lot of them, nobody had twinges of remorse to serve their aims after their studies. Fleisher and his friends would get rich and their wishes would come true.  
  
Fleisher got an executive position in the town government and he had good chances for promotion. He had always had the opinion, that the poor population didn't deserve anything better and therefore it wasn't a problem for him and he started his work with verve. He boycotted the foundation of new social institutions and cut the funds for social functions. He pocketed even the donations of his charity balls and gave them to willing employees in his office. Only a few were against the new management and Fleisher got rid of them soon. After a while he had a stuff of devoted subordinates.  
  
"And what was with Debra White?" Phoebe asked cynically.  
  
"Debra White? Oh this moralizer. She had joined our team in January. But she really wanted to help this scum, I didn't need anything like that. First I tried to transfer her back, but that didn't work, she didn't want to go. So I have given her the most negligible cases, but nevertheless she was getting suspicious and started to snoop around. It was unbelievable, but she didn't take bribery." Fleisher was rather indignant about it. "Therefore we had to take other measures. Jared had get some demons under his control and I gave him the chance to check their abilities. Everything went as planned, the stupid woman lost her memory and I didn't have any problems anymore. But Michael Deacon wasn't satisfied with Jared's demons, perhaps I should have listened to him only once." He said thoughtfully. "Michael had asked Jared to do him a favor. He wanted to get rid of the old grouch Samuels. Okay, he only wanted to reduce him to silence, but the demon had been too cocky and had killed Samuels." Fleisher laughed. "Well the poor Michael was really shocked about it. He was too slack at all. We already had to get rid of one of his talkative employees some years ago, but Michael didn't get that. We always had to pull him along with us, without us he already would have been exposed."  
  
"And what happened to Helen Carter?" Cole asked and looked at Fleisher gloomy. When he noticed, that Fleisher didn't know, who she was, he added angrily. "The journalist."  
  
"Oh, that one." Harold Fleisher remembered. "This bitch, she had messed up everything. And Jared's incompetent demon, too. I should have better asked the demons to help me, they have been more reliable." He shook his head angrily. "When I found out, that she wanted to write an article about my department, I already tried to stop her. But this time Michael was right, Jared's demon was incompetent, he didn't manage to erase the memory of this journalist, but allowed someone to vanquish him." He shook his head. "Well then I had to go to extremes." He suddenly stopped, when he noticed, that he had nearly told too much.  
  
Cole gave him a look of hatred, because he knew that Fleisher was responsible for Helen's accident, he had signed on the killer.  
  
"Well we all know, that I didn't manage to hinder this article, otherwise I wouldn't sit here. But the town should be thankful. Is it bad, if this scum of society don't get a chance?" He asked and looked around self-satisfied. "I don't think so. I have done a favor to the society. This rabble would have wiped out themselves. Michael Deacon could earn a lot of money with the sell of arms. Fight on the streets, the demons liked that idea. Although they thought it was going on too slowly. They wanted to boost the process. But nevertheless everything was perfect, if Jared didn't get megalomaniac." Fleisher shook his head.  
  
"What did he do?" Phoebe asked curiously.  
  
"I don't know exactly. He had the dream to rule over the demons. He wanted to be able to use magic on his own. Our amulets don't give us magic powers, we can only use them to get into contact with the underworld, or they can contact us. But there was no need to use magic, we got everything we wanted. But it galled Jared and he started to find out more about our amulets, the symbol and the use of it." Fleisher looked around thoughtfully. "I don't know, how he managed that. In the beginning he just got control over some demons. He had built a research center and tried to find out more about the demonic powers. He wanted to use them on his own, but he didn't succeed and he was getting angry about it. I told him, that it was better as it was, that there was no need to change anything. But he only laughed about me and didn't tell me anything about his plans anymore."  
  
"But how did he manage to create a blocking of magic in his estates?" Phoebe asked and looked at Fleisher. But he only shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"If I were you, I'd think about it more intensively." Cole suggested Fleisher. He leaned over the table and came dangerously close to Fleisher, when he didn't answer. But Phoebe touched Cole's arm and shook her head and he shrugged it off and leaned back again.  
  
"I really don't know anything about it." Fleisher moaned meanwhile. "Our pendants can only direct magic."  
  
Cole took a close look at him. "But you don't wear it anymore." He stated.  
  
"Of course not. What do you think? I've thrown it out of the window on my way to this place. I really don't want that the demons can find me here." He looked at Cole and it was obvious, that he couldn't understand, why he had found him. Probably it was this insidious witch, Fleisher thought angrily.  
  
"The seal which is able to create such a blocking of magic could look similar to your amulet. But it has to be much bigger and probably it's made of stone." Phoebe tried to help him along. "Do you know, what that could be? Or where Canterro could have got it?"  
  
"Our symbol made of stone?" Fleisher looked at her astonished. "Well there was such a legend, Michael has found it, because he was interested in the meaning and history of our amulets." He explained thoughtfully. "This legend said something about stone symbols and that our amulets have the same symbol as the middle of an old stone sign, which looks like a stone flower. The middle of this stone flower had the power to direct magic and the other parts, the petals, have other powers. As far as I remember it could be possible that the power of a second stone flower is to block magic."  
  
Cole and Phoebe looked at each other and smiled, finally they found out something. Meanwhile Fleisher continued. "Our amulets and countless others get their power from this stone sign. It was said, that there are only two flowers of stone, and one of them is somewhere in the underworld. But both are connected with each other."  
  
"Where in the underworld?" Phoebe asked excited.  
  
"I don't know something with A and on, Amaton, Arganon?" He looked at Cole expecting, but he looked back without batting an eyelid.  
  
When Fleisher couldn't remember anything else and Phoebe and Cole supposed, that he couldn't tell them anything interesting anymore, they stood up. Fleisher asked again, if he was still in safety.  
  
"For the moment." Cole told him with a nasty grin. "But you don't know, how long it will last." He told him for good bye. "So you should be careful." He said and slapped his back encouraging.  
  
When Phoebe and Cole were sitting in the car again on their way home. She looked at him. "Well, you were really good." She told him thoughtfully.  
  
Cole shrugged it off. "Well, that was easy. If you asked me, the demons could do with him, what they want, I wouldn't care. He is a bastard." He glanced at her and asked ironically. "Is it reprehensible?"  
  
"No, it's okay." She explained calmly.  
  
"So do we want to give the demons a hint, where they can find him?"  
  
"No, he'll get his justly penalty from the local justice." Phoebe tried to convince him.  
  
"Are you sure about it?" It was obvious, that Cole had his doubts about it. But he dropped the subject and asked instead. "You don't care, if the persons you have to rescue are likable or not?" He could hardly imagine that.  
  
"No, that doesn't make any difference, they are innocents. If they were attacked from a demon, I want to protect them, that's my job." She made it quite plain, that she was convinced about it. "It is safe to assume, that they've deserved it. And mostly I don't get to know them better."  
  
"Oh yes, and demons are bad from the start."  
  
"Of course they are." She looked at him astonished. "There is no doubt about it. They kill innocent people and they enjoy it."  
  
"It's okay, that may be true." He calmed her down.  
  
"It's just the old fight Good against Evil." Phoebe remembered him briefly.  
  
"Well until now, I thought evil and good didn't exist. Or better I thought it for the last year." He tried to explain, because in spite of everything what had happened recently, he still felt the same. Well neither Canterro nor Fleisher were very good.  
  
They were silent for a while, until Cole turned to Phoebe again. "And demons spend most of their time in this underworld." When Phoebe nodded, he continued. "How can you get there?"  
  
Phoebe thought about it. "That isn't so easy, you can't just go there. You can orb or shimmer there, or you can try it with a spell."  
  
"And you have already been there?"  
  
"Yes!" Was her short answer.  
  
When Cole noticed, that she wouldn't tell him anything else about it, he stated carefully. "But you want to go there to destroy this stone flower."  
  
"I hope we'll find another way to end the blocking." Phoebe sighed. "I can tell you, it isn't one of my favorite places. But if we don't find another way, we'll have to do it. Paige can take us there, or Leo."  
  
They were silent again until they reached the town. Then Cole told her convinced. "When you go there, I want to come with you."  
  
"What?" Phoebe couldn't believe her ears.  
  
"Yes I have to see it with my own eyes." Cole explained firmly.  
  
"No Cole, it's too dangerous for you."  
  
He looked at her angrily. "But you'll go there, too and I'll manage to defend myself, if they attack us. You don't have to think that I'm that helpless."  
  
"Well that isn't the point." Phoebe told him dissatisfied. "You aren't very ... distinguished there."  
  
"Oh really? I thought I have been the king down there." Cole told her sarcastically.  
  
"Well your term wasn't very long and didn't end very successful. And I really don't know, what will happen, if they find out, that you're still alive. Perhaps they don't care about you anymore, but it's also possible, that they'll get headhunters onto you again. And you don't want to take the risk, you have always hated to hide yourself." She didn't mention, that he hardly had a chance to protect himself today.  
  
"But if I'm together with you, they'll find it out sooner or later. Finally demons keep turning up at you and it's rather likely that some day one of them will recognize me and will escape."  
  
Cole expressed her biggest fear with that possibility. "Yes, I know, that there is a risk." She told him frustrated. "But that doesn't mean that you have to venture into the lion's den intentionally."  
  
"Well is this place teeming with demons? I don't think that you have the intention to meet some of them. And if you can manage that, nobody will see me."  
  
Phoebe groaned. "Let us go home and draw up a plan first, okay?" She hoped her sisters would help her to dissuade him from his plan. "It isn't safe to go there, we even don't know where this stone sign really is."  
  
Cole shrugged his shoulders, why not, finally she didn't say no.  
  
When they arrived at the Halliwell Manor, Paige told them, that Michael Deacon couldn't remember anything. He wasn't at home anymore but in a sanitarium outside the town. Paige had met him there and he was fine, under these circumstances. It seemed as if the demons weren't interested in him anymore. Paige had told him, that she was an old friend, but he couldn't tell her anything. The doctors had told him, that he had a serious amnesia, he even couldn't remember his school days. But nevertheless it was a surprise for Paige, that he even didn't miss his wife anymore.  
  
"And do you know, what he didn't wear anymore?" She stopped to get their attention. "His amulet, and what do you think is the meaning of it?"  
  
When Phoebe asked for Piper, Paige told her that she was on the way to meet Jared Canterro. She had asked Darryl to do her a favor, because she wanted to find out, if they had really destroyed his amulet.  
  
"And how does she want to find it out?" Phoebe asked surprised.  
  
Meanwhile Piper and Darryl arrived in front of Canterro's house in the town. His secretary in the armament factory had told them, that Mr. Canterro wasn't expected in the firm that day. But they could meet him at home. Piper had asked Darryl to go with her, she supposed that Canterro wouldn't care about her, he hadn't seen her yet, so he won't recognize her. They had decided to confront him with the facts, that a car had been stolen on Canterro's site and that the owner had reported it to the police. Of course they only wanted to find out, if they had really destroyed Canterro's amulet, if he still wore it or if he acted strange.  
  
They got off the car and walked to the entrance. A domestic led them in and led them into the same reception room as Cole one day ago. Jared Canterro entered the room composed and received them courtenously. He started to answer Darryl's questions without hesitation and it was obvious, that he didn't know Piper.  
  
"It's impossible, that somebody has parked his car on my property, officer. You can't set foot on it without my permission, much less than park a car on it." He told him self-satisfied.  
  
Piper watched him attentively. Despite his self-satisfied behavior she noticed a trembling of his hands. He had to control himself, because he was seething with rage under his studied indifference. Piper started to smile, she was sure, that they had really destroyed his amulet and with it his power over his demons. She supposed that his wife still had her amulet and that she also had the power over some demons, but nevertheless they dealt them a blow. 


	42. Chapter 42

Many thanks for your reviews, I'm happy that you still like my story, although it's rather long. And there are still some chapters left. But the end is just around the corner. I was a little lazy lately, but I'll finish it in the next weeks, I promise.  
  
To charming Gal, I'm really glad that you like my story. And yes, I remember what you mean and you could be right. But as I understood it, the evil sorcerer changed Cole's blood so that the 'old' vanquishing potion didn't work anymore. But in this alternate universe, they made it from his 'new' blood and therefore it could work. But I'm also convinced that the writers forgot a lot, what they wrote before and didn't care if it adds up or not.  
  
Chapter 42  
  
In Halliwell Manor the sisters were waiting for Leo. Phoebe had given him the order to find out more about the secret place with the name 'A ... on' in the underworld and about the mysterious legend. Meanwhile Cole was writing an article for his journal at Phoebe's laptop. Phoebe had convinced him, that it was better to stay with them, because nobody could know, if Canterro wouldn't find out his address and the place, where he was working. Although they supposed that after Piper's report he would have other problems at the moment. And it was a fact that no demon had visited them anymore.  
  
When Leo appeared some time later, he first told them, why Cole could see the magical connection of the seals in contrast to the others. When they had wiped out Cole's memory, they had also indoctrinated him with an excessive distrust of all magic. Perhaps it was too much, because as a result of this, he was able to see such magical floods like this connection as a shining thread now.  
  
"Luckily he is able to see it." Phoebe said. "Otherwise it would be possible, that I'd still run around as Canterro's slave."  
  
Leo looked at her thoughtfully. "But they aren't impressed how the things with Cole have developed." He told her.  
  
Phoebe gesticulated disparaging. "At the moment we really have other problems." She said with a pointed shake of her head. "They don't have to worry about it. It just happened that way and I don't know, what's so bad about it. And for example your horror stories what could have happened, if he got in touch with magic again, were absolutely wrong."  
  
"But you don't know, what's going on inside of him and how he really bears it." Leo pointed out, but he changed the subject, when Cole appeared and wanted to know, what was new.  
  
Now Leo explained them, that there really existed a legend about stone symbols. It was said, that there was one of it in a secret cave in the underworld and another one in this world, with the name Artamon. Nobody could say, how they were made, but they were created in caves from stone, like fossils flowers. The stone flower in the underworld especially had the power to direct every kind of magic. Therefore the underworld used the power for magical amulets and demonic symbols, to direct magic, direct special creatures and to connect them with each other.  
  
The stone flower in the upper world had the ability to block magic, among other powers. Therefore it's power was mostly used for protective amulets against black magic and other menaces.  
  
The flowers were connected and in balance with each other. Nobody has known where this caves were located and nobody has had an interest to find them, yet. It had always been usual to use their powers, but nobody has dared to use them themselves yet.  
  
"So this sign in Canterro's hall was only another copy." Cole supposed.  
  
"Yes," Paige agreed. "It should allow to use magic in the cage. If Canterro has really stolen the stone symbol, he would have deposited it in another place."  
  
The sisters decided to search for more information in the Book of Shadows. It wasn't difficult to find something about it now. Beside the facts they already knew, they found a spell, which could bring them into the secret cave in the upper world. They looked at each other and decided to use it.  
  
"And what happens to Cole?" Phoebe looked at him unhappy. "You can't stay here alone, that's too dangerous."  
  
"But he also can't come with us, I'm so sorry." Paige told her.  
  
"That's really a pity, Paige. But don't worry Phoebe, I'll go to the paper to hand in my article and to explain, why I couldn't come earlier." He looked at her with a calming smile. "Don't worry, nobody knows, that I'm working there."  
  
"Hopefully." Phoebe said gloomy, but she knew, that he was right. She followed him to the exit.  
  
"That won't take long, we'll be back as soon as possible and then you can come back immediately." She told him, when he opened the door. On a sudden impulse, she gave him the keys for her car. "Take my car, okay?"  
  
He looked at her asking and decided to accept her offer. "It will be more dangerous in your secret cave, than in my office." He tried to convince her.  
  
"Rubbish, it isn't dangerous. But you have to be careful." She urged him and kissed him for goodbye.  
  
After Cole has left the house, Phoebe shut the door with an uneasy feeling. She groaned and went back to the attic, where her sisters were already waiting.  
  
"Cole is right, Phoebe. Canterro can't know, where he is working, he even doesn't know his name. And you have told us, that there weren't any demons in Cole's apartment." Piper tried to calm her down.  
  
Phoebe nodded, she knew that it wouldn't be good, if she was too concerned about Cole's safety. She had to care about other things at the moment. Nevertheless it was hard for her to concentrate on it. She couldn't help it, she had a great fear of loosing him again. In her fantasy she already imagined a mob of demons, which were waiting for him to take him to Canterro. But she forced herself to take her mind off things, because Cole was right, he wasn't helpless, despite of his amnesia, he knew instinctively how to defend himself. And Canterro couldn't find him so easily. She had to stop worrying about it, without any reasons. She smiled encouraging to her sisters and they started to work.  
  
They built a magical circle and lighted up some candles. Then they spoke the old spell and waited. First nothing happened, but then a whirlwind swept them away. They were sucked in a vortex, it pulled them along with one and they couldn't do anything against it. They lost all orientation and already thought, that they would never arrive in the secret cave, when they fell rudely on a rough stony ground.  
  
"Ouch, why couldn't we have a soft landing." Paige moaned, when the three tried to stand up. They had really arrived in a rather big cave. Luckily nobody was hurt, but they shivered with cold, although they had put on jackets, because they had already supposed, that it would be cold in the cave. But this biting coldness was more intensive, than they had expected.  
  
Slowly they started to look around. It was dim in the cave, nearly dark, and the sisters started to search for the source of light, and with it for the exit. But they couldn't find one, it seemed as if the cave had no exit. It generated the dim light itself. When the sisters got used to the light, they saw paintings at the whole rugged walls. They were left just on one place. There was a big gape and without looking closer, it was obvious, that there was something missing. They stepped closer and saw that there were scratches in the rock face, looking like scars. Single drops of water ran down the wall and gave the impression of crying. It was obvious, that the cave was mourning.  
  
Phoebe touched one of the drops with her hand and pictures ran in her mind's eyes immediately. She saw Canterro and four demons, which used their demonic powers to take a big stony symbol from the wall. They had much trouble with it and it seemed as if the wall defended itself. Flash of lightning came from the wall and hit one demon. He fell injured to the ground. Another one was hit by it, but the other two demons managed to separate the stone symbol from the wall. Canterro watched at it satisfied and ran his hand over the stone respectfully.  
  
When Phoebe looked up again, she told her sisters. "I've seen how Canterro took the stone flower from the wall. There is no doubt, that he is in possession of it."  
  
"I've noticed immediately, that there is something wrong here." Piper said. "The atmosphere is so ... sad, as if the cave would cry."  
  
"Well it's doing it." Phoebe pointed at the drops of water running down the rugged wall. "It feels that it has lost something."  
  
"Yes, and what are we doing here?" Paige asked and sat down on the ground frustrated. "And how can we get out of it again?"  
  
"Can't you try to orb us home?" Phoebe asked and suddenly felt rather depressed. She sat down beside Paige on the cold ground. It was as if the grief of the cave communicated itself to them.  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "Well I can try it." She said and sighed.  
  
But Piper turned to them and said. "Wait a moment. We haven't already examined the cave." She tried not to be catched by the depressed atmosphere. She went to the paintings. "Look there," she said after a while. "Doesn't it look like a plan?"  
  
Her sisters stood up reluctantly and stepped beside her. There were strokes and symbols on the surface and at a closer look, it could be a labyrinth. Little arrows showed a way through the labyrinth, which looked like a solved puzzle in journals.  
  
"It could be the way to the cave in the underworld." Piper supposed and showed at the sign at the end mark. "Doesn't it look like Canterro's amulet?"  
  
"How can you see it? It's too tiny." Phoebe said and stepped closer to it.  
  
"Even if that's the way to the cave, we would have to copy the whole plan." Paige pointed out. "That's just impossible."  
  
"Well we can try it." Piper said and looked busy at her sisters. "Has anyone of you a pad and a pen?" She asked.  
  
After Paige had found a pad with a pen in the pocket of her jacket, Piper and Phoebe found similar ones and they started to draw. Everyone had to copy one part of the map at the wall. It was difficult in the dim light, but after a while they finished it.  
  
Phoebe looked at her copy and said. "Well I can't guarantee that we'll find our way through my sector."  
  
"We'll manage it." Piper said and they stringed their sketches together. "Well it doesn't look bad, does it?" Piper asked and looked at the wall. They compared it with the painting there. If things turned out right, they would find the right way. They looked around again, and Phoebe, who had drawn the last part of the plan, looked at the end mark again. At a closer look she saw a tiny stroke that ran along the wall until it ended at the opposite side. Phoebe went closer and saw, hard to be seen, some words. She called for her sisters and they managed to make out a strange spell together.  
  
Phoebe made a note of it and then they decided to leave the cave again. Paige wanted to orb them home, therefore they touched their hands and waited.  
  
But nothing happened. "Damn it!" Paige said after a while.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Paige looked at her sisters shocked. "It doesn't work."  
  
"It doesn't work? What do you mean by that? Are we stranded here?" Phoebe looked at her disbelieving and horrified. It wasn't a pleasant idea to be imprisoned in a depressed cave.  
  
"I don't know, something like that." Paige explained excusing.  
  
"That's rubbish Paige, try it again." Phoebe said firmly, not for everything in the world she wanted to stay in the cave any longer than necessary.  
  
"Why should it work this time?" Paige asked angrily, because she also didn't like the idea to be imprisoned in the cave.  
  
"I think you should try to orb us out of the cave first. Perhaps in front of it." Piper suggested calmly.  
  
The three looked at each other anxiously and Paige took a deep breath. Then she tried to orb them out of the cave and at the next moment they were standing in a forest. They could see a huge wall of rock behind them.  
  
"That's something at least." Phoebe said in relief. "What do you think, could you orb us home now?" She looked at her sister asking.  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders."I hope so. But I don't know." When she couldn't manage to orb them home from the cave, a thought, which wasn't very desirable either, occurred to her. "I think that I can orb us away from this place, that isn't the problem, but I can't orb us home."  
  
Piper and Phoebe looked at her interested. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You know, it's the same feeling as it was in Canterro's forest. It was also impossible to orb there."  
  
"Do you want to say, that Canterro has imposed a blocking of magic on our house?" Piper looked at her attentively.  
  
"That's possible."  
  
"Well then orb us in front of our house." Phoebe suggested. "Although, that isn't a good idea, somebody could see us."  
  
"To the P3." Piper said and her sisters nodded. They tried it again, but this attempt failed, too.  
  
Phoebe looked at Paige confused. "Do you think there is a blocking of magic on the P3, too?"  
  
"I don't know, don't look at me, as if I'm responsible for this." She answered angrily.  
  
"We don't do that." Piper said. "We have to keep cool, probably everything is more harmless than we think now. I think we should call Leo."  
  
Phoebe wondered, if it was useful to call Leo to this place, afterwards there wasn't a blocking of magic over their house and the club and this place was responsible for it and then he would be stranded in the forest, too. But she didn't say a word, because she could understand, why Piper wanted to have her husband beside her.  
  
Seconds later Leo appeared and Piper embraced him in relief. "You are stranded at a very deserted place." He told them and looked around. "Have you found the cave?"  
  
"Yes, we have, but the stone flower is gone. Canterro has stolen it." Paige explained and continued. "Unfortunately it's impossible for me to orb us home. First we thought it's this place, but when you are able to orb here, that can't be true. Perhaps it's my fault."  
  
Piper looked at her sister indignantly. "Nobody says that. I've called Leo to help us and not because I think that he's better in orbing or anything like that. I'd never think that."  
  
"Sorry, Piper, I didn't mean it like that. But the whole situation is too frustrating." Paige said and sighed.  
  
They decided to try to orb home once again. Phoebe took Paige's hand and Piper Leo's. The got ready to orb home, but again, nothing happened, they were still standing in the forest.  
  
Leo looked at them concerned and said. "Wait a moment." He disappeared and came back after a while. "I had feared it." He explained with a worried expression.  
  
"What? Don't keep us on tenderhooks." Piper asked angrily.  
  
"It a blockade of magic. You were right, but it's not only the manor, it extends across the whole town."  
  
"What? The whole town?" The sisters looked at each other disbelieving.  
  
"Well that to my suggestion, that Canterro had to take a setback." Piper explained frustrated. "I was so sure about it. His behavior pointed to it."  
  
"Perhaps it's only an act of desperation." Paige shrugged her shoulders. "He knew, that he was in danger and he didn't hesitate anymore to use this weapon for protection."  
  
"And what will we do now?" Phoebe asked. "Do we want to go back to San Francisco?"  
  
They looked at each other uncertain. "If we can't use magic anymore, but Canterro's demons can do it, it will look bad for us." Leo pointed out. "I think you should stay away from the town for the moment."  
  
"And Cole?" Phoebe thought immediately. "We have to protect him."  
  
"Canterro doesn't know where he is, Phoebe." Piper said. "And I think he is more interested in us, at the moment."  
  
"And the Book of Shadows?" Paige asked. "We have to take it in any case."  
  
"But no demon can take possession of it." Piper said and stopped. "Although, I don't know if it's means of defense will still work." She looked at her husband asking.  
  
"I really don't know, but I hope it."  
  
"Well that doesn't help us." Phoebe interrupted him. "We have to take it as soon as possible, although it will take long to get back home without orbing. But stop." She had an idea. "I'll ask Cole to take it, finally he is in town." She looked at her sisters triumphantly.  
  
"I thought you want to keep him out of danger." Paige said and it was obvious, that she wasn't enthusiastic about Phoebe's idea. "And he can't get into the manor."  
  
"Well luckily I rent him my car and the keys for the door are at my bunch of keys. As if I knew it." Phoebe said happily.  
  
"I don't know, why you are so enthusiastic to expose him to danger." Piper told her with a shake of her head.  
  
"If you'll believe it or not, he'll be in danger, alone in San Francisco. And if he notices that there are demons in the manor, he won't enter it." She looked at her sisters firmly. "There is no point in wasting time arguing with you. I'll just call him and explain him what's happened. The longer I wait, the longer time have the demons to steal the book." She went aside and sat down on a tree stump. She took her phone and dialed Cole's number, she hoped that he was still alright.  
  
Cole was sitting in his office in San Francisco and cursed his editor in chief. He had taken it as guaranteed to get the article Cole had already written and instructed him to finish two other articles today. Usually things came to him easily and he forgot everything around him, but today he failed. He worried about Phoebe and even about her odd sisters. How could they say a spell to get into a secret cave without caring about the way back. He would never do that, or perhaps he would, he had to admit. But nevertheless they shouldn't do it. He looked down at his article, which wasn't very good. He would really like to divert himself with his work, but it didn't work.  
  
When he had finally finished his first article and started with the second, the phone was ringing. Cole took the phone and was happy, when he heard Phoebe's voice. "Phoebe, is everything alright with you?"  
  
"Yes, more or less. We are okay, and what's with you?" Phoebe was relieved, when she heard his moaning about work. "But you can't go, can you?"  
  
Cole looked at his unfinished article and said. "Of course, if you need me, that won't be a problem." What did he care about his editor, when Phoebe needed his help.  
  
Phoebe explained the situation to him and told him, why she needed his help. "The key for our house is at the bunch of keys, I gave you. But you'll only enter the house, if everything is calm, okay?" She urged him, because she didn't want him to take risk needlessly. "The book is on the attic in front of the window."  
  
"Yes I know, finally you already wanted to steal it for Canterro."  
  
"Very funny." Phoebe said and looked at her sisters. "Wait a moment." She went to them and asked. "Where will we go?"  
  
Leo looked at her thoughtfully. "As near to San Francisco as possible. We'll have to try it first."  
  
"You can call him later again, when we'll know it." Piper suggested.  
  
Phoebe nodded and told Cole that she would call again later to tell him the place where they would meet. "And be careful, don't put your life at risk." She warned him again.  
  
"You, too." Cole replied and hang up. He looked at his unfinished article and printed it out. Then he switched off his computer and left his office. He went to his colleague for business news. Finally he owed him a favor, he thought satisfied. When he arrived at his office, his colleague wasn't very enthusiastic about the extra work, but he took the unfinished article and the notes and promised to hand it to the editorial office until this evening. Cole left the paper satisfied and set off to the Halliwell Manor.  
  
When he arrived in front of the house, he got off the car and looked around attentively. Everything seemed to be peaceful and quiet. He walked to the house and took out the keys to unlock the door. He opened it carefully and listened again, but he couldn't hear any noise. As a precaution he pulled on the energy ball glove and took the athame in the other hand. He hoped that it hadn't lost it's power now.  
  
He entered the house and looked around, he found it quiet and abandoned. He walked upstairs and smiled, when he remembered that he had asked Phoebe about the attic some days ago. If she had really told him the truth, he would have written her off as absolutely insane. Well, things can change, he thought, but he had his doubts, if it has disturbed him. No, probably not, something else disturbed him much more. Okay, he was still alive, but despite of that, it galled him that she had been able to kill him.  
  
Absent-minded he entered the attic and saw the book lying intact on it's place in front of the window. He walked to it and suddenly noticed that there was something behind him. Cole turned around and saw a demon. He didn't waste any time and used his glove. To his own surprise a fireball hit the demon in his side. He fell through the door, but it was obvious that he wasn't vanquished, only shocked for the moment. Therefore Cole didn't waste time and rushed to the book. He took it and looked around. Behind him another demon appeared and barred his way.  
  
Cole supposed that Canterro wanted him alive, therefore he stepped back, the demon wouldn't attack but take him to Canterro, he hoped. The other demon had already recovered and entered the room again. Cole looked back and wondered, how he could distract them. They came closer, while Cole was looking around in some junk, that was stored on the attic. Phoebe hasn't lied totally, there were really a lot of things stored here. He climbed behind a box and hid the book behind a cardboard. Now he had at least two hands. He took the athame tightly in his hand and tried to get behind one of the demons. He jumped from behind the box and suddenly saw the shining connection thread in front of him. Cole didn't waste time and cut it immediately.  
  
The demon fell on his knees and his form changed into a demon, Cole already knew. "Partas?" He asked surprised, or did more demons look like that? Cole wondered, while the demon turned around and looked at him with an astonished expression.  
  
"Bethazor?" He looked around "Where are we?"  
  
Meanwhile the other demon still wanted to catch Cole, therefore Cole turned to Partas and told him. "This demon behind you wants to kill you, but ..."  
  
Just before Cole could continue, Partas turned around and wanted to vanquish the demon with his metallic ray. But unfortunately it didn't work. The demon threw an energy lightning at him and Partas made a narrow escape. He stared at Cole dazed.  
  
"Blockade of magic." Cole told him with an excusing smile. While he noticed to his relief, that the demon attacked Partas again. Partas escaped and Cole tried to use the chance to get behind the demon. It wasn't very difficult, because he was busy with Partas at the moment and didn't pay attention to Cole. With one single cut Cole cut the connection and breathed in relief. The demon looked around confused and wanted to disappear, but he had lost his demonic powers and stayed were he was.  
  
Meanwhile Partas didn't notice that the demon didn't attack him or defend himself anymore. Partas took a knife lying on a table and rammed it into the demon's stomach. Groaning he fell down and blew up finally.  
  
"This bastard!" Partas snarled. "Why did he want to kill me?"  
  
"Why on earth should I know?" Cole asked firmly and got the book out of it's hidden place. Secretly he put it into a bag. "Perhaps you had some differences of opinion."  
  
Partas listened attentively, while he was still staring at the place, where the demon had been before. "Well I can't remember anything like that." He finally said. Then he turned to Cole and pretended to fell remorse. "Well I really feel sorry, that I've attacked you in the cage. But you know, I had no choice."  
  
Cole smiled secretly, of course, what else. "Sure!" He said and left the room. "Well I have to go now." He told Partas, because he wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.  
  
"Where? How do you want to vanish? We can't shimmer anywhere." Partas told him surprised. "How shall we get into the underworld again?"  
  
"If we aren't in San Francisco anymore, it will work again." Cole told him and opened the door.  
  
"But how shall we get there? I'll attract attention with my current appearance and if the police or whoever will pick me up, I can't defend myself." Partas moaned and looked at Cole "You are better off than me."  
  
"Well suddenly our relative strength has changed." Cole muttered and noticed that Partas wouldn't budge. He didn't trust this demon, if you turn your back to him, you'll have to be ready that a knife will be in it immediately. Nevertheless he couldn't let him stay in the house of the Halliwells. Until now Partas wasn't interested in it, but it wasn't a desirable idea, that Partas would stay here alone. Cole sighed and turned to him again. "My car is outside. If it can't be helped, I can take you with me, outside of the town."  
  
"You'd do that for me?" Partas asked in relief. "Thanks old friend."  
  
Cole had his doubts that they had really been friends in the past, nevertheless he said. "Yes, for the good old days." With a knowing smile he noticed, that he had been right, because Partas gave him an embarrassed smile.  
  
"Well, you know, in those days ...." he started to explain.  
  
But Cole declined. "Don't bother." He wasn't interested in hearing anything about his demon times at the moment. He looked to the street and couldn't see anybody there. He gave Partas a sign and they ran to his car and got in immediately.  
  
Meanwhile Leo and the Halliwell sisters had ventured as near to San Francisco as possible and ended up in a little suburb at the sea. They supposed that it would be unlikely, that Canterro could extend his magic blockade in the nearer future. Therefore they had rent an apartment in a little shabby motel. Immediately Phoebe tried to call Cole to tell him, where they would meet, but nobody answered. She had already dialed the number twice and started to feel uneasy. "Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to send him to our house, probably demons were waiting for him there." She looked at her sisters concerned.  
  
"Well that possible." Paige said. "Canterro wanted the book just before this and now he knows that we can't offer resistance anymore."  
  
"But can you tell me, why it was possible for me to take the book, when I was under his control?" Phoebe asked to take her mind of her worries. "Why didn't it defend itself."  
  
"Probably, because you were still good." Paige supposed. "You only had to carry out Canterro's order and the book didn't know that."  
  
Phoebe looked at her sceptically. "That doesn't make sense." She said and dialed Cole's number again. To her relief she finally heard his voice. "Oh Cole, I'm happy to hear your voice, I already thought something has happened to you."  
  
"No everything is alright." He explained shortly and watched Partas from the corner of his eyes.  
  
"That's great. I already thought, that there had been demons in the manor." Phoebe replied and waited for his answer, but when he was silent, she told him, where they would meet. When she hung up, she was surprised, that he had been so taciturn. There was something wrong with him, she felt it.  
  
"My contact." Cole explained after Phoebe's call, but luckily Partas wasn't interested in it. Cole had tried to drive as inconspicuously as possible, because he didn't want to be stopped by a police patrol. He had no idea, how he should explain them, why a gray green creature was sitting beside him. He supposed that he wouldn't be able to talk his way out of it, a disease or anything like this wouldn't be a good excuse. And Partas was dangerous, even without his demonic powers, Cole had no doubts about it. He looked around for a place, where he could throw him out of the car without attracting attention, but he didn't find a suitable place. Luckily Partas had been silent until now. Cole supposed that it wasn't his usual behavior.  
  
"Well it must be awful to have no demonic powers" Partas suddenly said. "I feel incomplete. I can't imagine how mortals can stand that, it's unbearable."  
  
"They don't know anything else." Cole replied dryly.  
  
"Yes, rather wretched. Harmless, powerless creatures." He laughed and looked at Cole, when he suddenly remembered. "Oh ... I'm sorry, I have just forgotten, that you are half .... but of course this description doesn't fit you, because you are a powerful demon."  
  
Cole glanced at him angryly. "Yes and don't forget that." Why did he give this damn demon a lift, he thought furiously.  
  
"No, never." Partas said subdued. Meanwhile they arrived in the suburbs of San Francisco and Partas felt that his powers were coming back slowly. He breathed in relief and said. "That's that! Do you feel it?" He asked excited.  
  
"Surely, and therefore you can get off the car immediately, shimmer yourself directly from the car into the underworld." Cole ordered him.  
  
"No problem." Partas said and looked at him surprised. "But you won't come with me?"  
  
"No, I have to carry out something." Cole replied coldly. "And that's my business."  
  
"Don't say that these rumors are true, is there something going on between this witch and you?" Partas asked sceptically.  
  
Cole stopped the car and looked at Partas, who frayed his nerves. "That's none of your business. Be thankful I got you out of this situation, you didn't deserve it."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll vanish immediately." Partas explained in an offhanded way, he was self-satisfied again, because of the return of his demonic powers. "But everybody knows, what kind of weakling you are, if you listen to your human side. So just forget this bitch, you should drop by at Selgrin, he can help you. Well everybody notices what's wrong with you."  
  
Before Cole could reply, as a precaution Partas shimmered away. "Bastard!" Cole cursed and was annoyed that he had given Partas a lift, he should have thrown him out of the car after five minutes. But now it was too late. But what did he mean that everybody would notice, what was wrong with Cole, did he notice that he didn't have any demonic powers anymore? And how should this Selgrin be able to help him?  
  
Cole shook his head and started the car again, he shouldn't think about this idiot anymore, that was useless. He set off to reach the motel in the suburb, Phoebe had told him. And he forced himself not to think about Partas' stupid statements anymore. 


	43. Chapter 43

Thanks for your nice reviews!! It's true, I really thought a lot about the plot and it's great that you like it.  
  
Chapter 43  
  
It was already late in the afternoon when Cole arrived in front of the motel. He just started to search for the right apartment, when the door opened and Phoebe rushed out of it. She flung her arms around his neck and said relieved. "I'm so glad, that you are alright, I was already prepared for the worst."  
  
"No, everything is fine." Cole calmed her down. "And I have your book, too."  
  
Phoebe let him go again and he gave her the bag with the book. They entered the apartment, where Paige and Piper were sitting around the table, making plans for their further actions. Meanwhile Leo was gone to search for more information about the plan, the girls had sketched.  
  
Phoebe took the book out of the bag and looked at it relieved. "So there weren't any demons, who were keen on it?"  
  
"Well I think they were more interested to get us and not the book." Cole told her.  
  
Phoebe looked at him horrified. "Do you mean there were demons in our house, when you entered it?"  
  
Now Paige and Piper turned to him, too.  
  
"Only two, and they didn't want to kill me. I think they only wanted to take me to Canterro. And one of them was really this Partas." Cole told them grinning.  
  
"And what happened to them?" Piper asked carefully.  
  
"Luckily I could still use the knife and I cut their connections to Canterro and then Partas has killed the other demon."  
  
"And then?" Phoebe looked at him piercing, because she noticed that there was something else.  
  
"Then Partas and myself left the city together." Cole explained, although he supposed, that the sisters wouldn't like to hear that. And he could tell by their faces that he was right. "Would you have prefered, if I had left him in your house ... alone?"  
  
"You gave him a lift? In my car?" Phoebe looked at him horrified. "And where is he now?"  
  
"Well, in this underworld I suppose." Cole said with a shrug.  
  
"Are you crazy?" Phoebe asked furiously "He knows, that you are still alive and you helped him to escape to the underworld?"  
  
"What should I have done? Would you like it, if he snooped around in your house?" Cole tried to defend himself.  
  
"He didn't have any demonic powers. Therefore it would have been easy to vanquish him even for you."  
  
"He didn't attacked me." Cole explained. Well if Partas had tried to attack him, he wouldn't have had a big problem to kill him, he supposed, but he had talked to him. Perhaps he should have tried it nevertheless, finally Partas turned out to be a crafty idiot. "Okay, it wasn't a good idea to give him a lift, but I wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible, but I didn't find the right place." He explained and added. "Sooner or later they would have found out, that I'm still alive. So now it was sooner."  
  
Phoebe shook her head and she wondered, if she shouldn't be happy, that killing wasn't the easiest solution for him anymore. "But you don't understand how dangerous it could be." She tried to tell him again. "Canterro is harmless compared with demon headhunters."  
  
"It was really stupid." Piper interfered. "But at the moment we've other problems. We have to get to the secret cave in the underworld to destroy Canterro's stone flower and with it the blocking of magic."  
  
"Can't you use a spell, like you did with the other cave, or didn't it work?" Cole asked her, happy that she had changed the subject.  
  
"It worked." Piper explained and told him how they got into the cold cave.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe tried to calm herself down. A demon in her car, an awful picture. When this would be over, her car would need a good cleaning. To get her mind off, she took the book and turned it to the page about the stone flowers. But she had already feared it: They had to find their way to the cave in the underworld on their own. But she read, that there was a spell, which would help them to open the secret entrance to the cave. Phoebe supposed that this was the old spell which they had found in the cave.  
  
Some time later Leo appeared and told them, that he has found the starting point of their plan, it was a place beside the middle assembly room. Then they would have to follow the plan to find the secret cave. It wasn't possible to orb there nearer, because there wasn't another place on the plan, which he could make out.  
  
Everybody knew how dangerous it was to search for the cave in the underworld, but the elders thought that it would be more dangerous not to stop Canterro. "There is another opportunity to search for the stone flower at Canterro's." Leo suggested.  
  
"But we can't use magic there and we have no idea, where he had hidden it." Piper told him thoughtfully.  
  
Phoebe nodded. "And the book says that our spell will only destroy the opposite symbol. I don't know, what will happen to the other stone flower."  
  
"So we have to go to the underworld, if we like it or not." Piper sighed.  
  
Leo looked at her unhappy. "But if it's too dangerous, you'll come back immediately and we'll find another way."  
  
Piper hugged him and said softly. "I promise you."  
  
Leo gave Paige detailed information about the place, where she should orb them. Then they had to follow their plans.  
  
Cole looked at the preparations interested and said finally. "But you don't want me to stay here, do you?" He asked and pretended to be indignant. "Just think about the danger, imagine demons would attack me and I can't defend myself."  
  
"Leo is here, too." Piper told him.  
  
But Cole didn't give up, he saw the chance to fulfill his wish to get to the underworld and he would take it. "No, I'll accompany you." He decided satisfied.  
  
Paige looked at him annoyed. "Why on earth should you? You even can't help us there."  
  
Cole had suspected this answer. "Well it's really a pity, that I'm no demon anymore, isn't it Paige?"  
  
Paige looked at him startled. "I didn't mean it like that." She explained and added. "Okay, you can come with us, if the others don't mind." She looked at her sisters beseeching, but they were silent. "But don't dare to be in our way." she said grimly.  
  
"Did I ever do that?" Cole asked and looked at her self-satisfied.  
  
Meanwhile Paige still hoped that Piper or Phoebe would oppose her offer. But Piper didn't say a word and even Phoebe looked at her hesitating. "So what do you have to say?" She urged her sisters to give their view on it.  
  
Piper shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter to me, it's up to Phoebe." She took the book and went to the kitchen with Leo. Paige followed them and was relieved, that it wasn't her decision anymore.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe and Cole stayed in the living room.  
  
"The demons already know, that I'm still alive." Cole tried to convince Phoebe, that it was a good idea to go with them. "So there is no reason for me to stay here."  
  
"Is that the reason, why you have kept him alive?" Phoebe asked sceptically.  
  
"No, do you really think it was a question of calculation with me?" How could she think anything like that? He looked at her offended. "No, I wouldn't risk my live deliberately, it's too important for me."  
  
Phoebe believed him, but she didn't want to expose him to danger. "But it's safer for you to stay here, nobody knows that you are here."  
  
"And nobody will know that I'm there. Please Phoebe, I just want to see it with my own eyes, can't you understand that?"  
  
She looked at him and sighed. "Yes I can, but it isn't worth a visit."  
  
"Leave that to me." He stepped closer and looked into her eyes. "If we are careful, nobody will notice that we are there."  
  
Phoebe noticed that she couldn't take him out of it and looked at him asking. "Do you want to remember again?"  
  
"I thought, that isn't possible. And I even don't know, if I really want it." He looked at her and grinned. "I just want to see my former home."  
  
"Enjoy yourself."  
  
"Thanks!" Cole kissed her and they went to the kitchen together.  
  
Phoebe told her sisters, that Cole would come with them and they accepted it without any comment. But before they could go to the underworld, Phoebe had an idea. She leafed through the Book of Shadows and finally she found the right page. She looked around, but she didn't find, what she was looking for. Finally she opened the last page of the book and found an empty piece of parchment. She took it and wrote a spell on it, then she held it against the light and called for her sisters.  
  
When they were standing beside her, Phoebe told them. "We have to read this spell. Then Cole will have the chance to get back here, if we are separated. The sisters read the spell and the piece of parchment started to light up for a second. Phoebe nodded satisfied and gave it to Cole. "Please, if you are in danger or we are separated, you'll just have to tear it up and you'll be here again immediately."  
  
Cole took the piece of paper and looked at it interested. It seemed to be quite normal, but for his eyes it was still shining. He folded it and put it into his pocket. "Thanks" he said. "But don't you need anything like that."  
  
Phoebe declined. "No, nobody will separate us and if we are in danger Leo will notice it and help us, don't worry." She smiled at Cole confidently.  
  
Leo nodded. "I'll stay here to wait for you. And if something happens, you'll have to come back or call me." He urged them.  
  
"Okay, can we go finally?" Paige asked and the others went to her. They took their hands and Paige orbed them to the place beside the assembly hall in the underworld.  
  
When they arrived, they looked around carefully, but they couldn't see any demon, everything was quiet. Paige put out her part of the plan and tried to orientate herself. It wasn't easy, but finally she found their current position and gave them a sign to follow her. Slowly they went into a passage, Paige was first, followed by Phoebe and Cole and Piper was the last.  
  
They followed Paige for a while and Cole looked around again and again, finally he asked. "Does it look like this everywhere here?"  
  
"What?" Phoebe looked at him asking.  
  
"This meagerness, the stony ground, straw, well it's such a cliché." Cole stated soberly. "Unfortunately there is no burning fire." They went around a corner and in front of him, he saw a torch at the wall. "That's all I needed."  
  
"Why? What was your idea of it?" Phoebe stopped and turned around to look at him.  
  
"Don't know, I thought it would be more luxurious. I mean, what do they get form their perfidious actions, if they have to live here?"  
  
"They enjoy it." Phoebe told him. "You just think like a human."  
  
"What's the meaning of that? Do demons like it to sleep on straw?" Cole asked disbelieving.  
  
"Don't worry, they also have better accommodations." Piper told him, because she wanted to walk on. She squeezed past them. "And besides demons have a great power of imagination."  
  
"Hopefully." Cole said and they walked on. "Otherwise it's no wonder that they aren't afraid of hell. It can't be worse there."  
  
"I thought you don't believe in hell." Phoebe remembered him.  
  
"Well, once I thought that, too." He explained and added. "At least it's warm here."  
  
"Shall I take anything of this serious, Cole?" Phoebe asked and shook her head.  
  
"No, but what do you think would happen, if I took it serious?" Cole asked. "I think it would drive me mad."  
  
"Again?" Paige sighed.  
  
Cole looked at her back and said. "Oh I've been crazy before? Sorry Paige, but I've forgotten that."  
  
"Can't you shut your mouths? I thought we don't want to attract attention." Piper hissed at them in a subdued tone. Then she pushed Phoebe in front of her, because she wanted to go between them.  
  
They walked in silence for a while, Paige's part of the plan was nearing completion and Piper's part would follow. They hadn't seen a demon yet and everything was peaceful. They reached the next fork and Paige looked around the corner. Cole had a funny feeling, something was wrong here, he just didn't know exactly what it was. He stared at the ceiling, the walls and the ground, but he couldn't find anything.  
  
Meanwhile Paige didn't see anybody and went straight on. Phoebe followed her, while Cole still looked around attentively. Finally he saw small shining threads on the ground on the other side. They looked like an alarm system made of magic, it was obvious, that the others couldn't see it. But Cole was sure, that it served the same purpose as a real alarm system. "There is an alarm system on the ground in front of you." He yelled to Phoebe and Paige and held Piper back, so that she couldn't walk into the trap.  
  
Paige and Phoebe looked at the ground, but they couldn't see anything. "Where?" Paige asked, but when she looked up, she saw a shimmering in the air in front of her. That was a sure sign that a demon would appear. She took the hand of her sisters with lightning speed and orbed them away. When the demon matarialized he didn't see anything of them anymore.  
  
Cole and Piper watched the whole action and hurried to go back into the passage, before the demon would see them.  
  
Paige had orbed Phoebe and herself quite a way straight on. They looked around carefully, but they couldn't see any demon anymore. Paige looked at her sister thoughtfully. "I hope here isn't any alarm anymore."  
  
"We can just try it." Phoebe said and looked at the ground. "Unfortunately we don't see it."  
  
They walked on carefully, but nothing happened. No demon appeared, but they had lost Piper and Cole.  
  
When they arrived at the next crossing Phoebe asked her sister. "Did we orb very far?"  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "Yes I think so, but just straight on. It won't be difficult for them to find us. They only have to get over this alarm system."  
  
"You are right and they have Piper's plan, and I know that this way is the right way." Phoebe said. "Hopefully they'll find another way to get here."  
  
They stopped at the crossing and looked around attentively. The passage continued straight on, but there was an entrance to a big hall on the right side.  
  
"I think there were some halls on the right side, maybe they can take this way. Perhaps it's more dangerous, but if they are careful, they'll mange it. I don't think that it would be a good idea to orb back and search for them. I suppose there could be more demons now." Paige thought and walked to the entrance. They entered the hall and looked around. Nobody was there, but they saw another entrance on the other side.  
  
"If they go through the hall, they'll come this way." Paige said. "What do you think? Shall we wait here for a while?"  
  
Phoebe looked around. "Well better here than in the passage, I suppose. We can hide behind this columns." She decided.  
  
They walked behind the columns and sat down on some boulders on the ground. From this place they could see everybody coming into the room. But they wouldn't see them. Even if a demon would shimmer into the hall, he wouldn't choose this place in the back of the hall.  
  
Meanwhile Cole pulled Piper back into the passage to a secret entrance, he had seen, when they had passed it. It had attracted his attention, because this one was hidden, in contrast to the other entrances he had already seen this day. They entered the hall just before the demons appeared to search for the intruders.  
  
When Cole looked around, he saw a niche in the back of the hall behind a column and an open place in front of him. Piper walked to the recess and gave Cole a sign to follow her. She hoped nobody would notice them there. She squeezed herself into the niche and pulled Cole behind her.  
  
They couldn't see it, but they noticed that a demon appeared some time later.  
  
"Belthazor" they heard a voice. "I knew, that you would come."  
  
"Oh really!" Cole muttered in the hiding place.  
  
Piper looked at him suspiciously, but Cole could only shrug his shoulders.  
  
"I know that you are here." The demon said. "Come here."  
  
Cole looked into the hall. There was only one exit and the demon would see them, if they tried to escape. But if he was distracted ..., Cole thought and looked at Piper. "I'll go to him and you can try to run through the door and find your sisters. I'll divert him."  
  
"Are you mad?" Piper hissed at him. "He isn't up to anything good and you can't defend yourself."  
  
"But he wants me Piper. It'll be better if he only gets me and not us." He already wanted to go, but Piper held him back.  
  
"No, Phoebe won't forgive me." She explained.  
  
"You don't have to tell her." Cole said dryly. "And besides I still have Phoebe's magical note, so nothing can happen to me."  
  
Piper knew, that he wouldn't accept any objections and let him go. He left the niche and Piper sized up the distance to the door. 


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44  
  
When Cole came from behind the column, Piper used the opportunity and ran to the exit. She stopped in the entrance, because the demon in the hall wouldn't be able to see her from this place. Carefully she looked in the passage and saw a demon not far away.  
  
Meanwhile Cole walked to the demon cooler than he really was. When he stopped in front of him, he noticed that the demon looked like a usual human man. "So here I am, what do you want from me." Cole asked and looked at him with a smile.  
  
"Partas already told me, that you would come." the demon explained and nodded.  
  
"Is that so?" Cole asked and wondered again, why he had been so stupid to help this old gossip.  
  
"Don't you want to greet me?" The demon asked with a grin.  
  
"No, why on earth should I?" Cole told him and racked his brain over the name of the demon, Partas had told him about. Finally he remembered and hoped, that he was right. "Selgrin."  
  
The demon smiled pleased. "So, you know my name at least."  
  
Cole didn't go into it, but told him. "So here I am, try to make it short, what do you want from me?" Cole looked at him fearless.  
  
"Oh, Partas thought, that you want something from me." Selgrin said satisfied.  
  
"And what's that supposed to be?"  
  
Selgrin laughed. "Partas is really right, isn't he?" He looked at Cole and shook his head. "You even don't know, who I am. You can just guess my name."  
  
"What makes you think of that?"  
  
"Partas knows, that you'd have never helped him to escape, if you had been able to remember your past. So what happened to you?"  
  
"Nothing, I just have a good day today." Cole told him.  
  
"That's out, anything like that doesn't happen to you. Not in this case!"  
  
"Really? Are you so sure about that?" Cole wondered, what inexcusable Partas could have done to him.  
  
"This witch has decided that it's better for you to forget your great times as an adequate demon, am I right?" Selgrin looked at him and nodded self- satisfied.  
  
Cole decided not to breathe a word and he preferred to wait curiously.  
  
"I thought as much. Okay, you don't have to say anything. But hopefully, you can remember that I'm able to give you back your memories, they've maliciously erased from your memory. Then you'll remember again, what a delight it is to be a full demon and to serve evil." He looked at Cole curiously.  
  
"Well your little theory is quite interesting, but unfortunately you are wrong. It's rubbish and doesn't make sense. There is no use for anybody." Cole stated.  
  
"Surely your witch thought that she could keep you away from your real nature. You can't fool me, I feel your insecurity and your desire to know, who you really are."  
  
"No, thanks. I'm not interested." Cole replied coldly and turned around to go to the exit.  
  
"You've forgotten the best part of your life, but I'll settle it, don't worry."  
  
Cole turned around and looked at him again. "I've already told you, that you are wrong. And even if I couldn't remember everything from my past, I absolutely wouldn't like to get your memories. How do you want to know, what I've done? If you filled me with your memories, I'd never believe them."  
  
Selgrin laughed cunning. "Oh no, it's worse than I thought, you even don't know my powers." He shook his head. "But Partas already supposed, that you wouldn't accept it, but you can't defend yourself. I'll give you back your memories, if you like it or not, and then you'll belong to us again." He raised his arm.  
  
Meanwhile Piper walked along the passage, first she had to wait until the demons disappeared again, after they didn't find an intruder and supposed that the alarm was only an error. When she arrived at the crossing with the alarm system, she stopped and looked around. Obviously, it wasn't a good idea to use this way, she looked at her plan and noticed some halls on the right side, she could try to use them. But she hesitated, she had a funny feeling about leaving Cole alone behind her. She wouldn't be able to explain it to Phoebe, if something happened to him.  
  
She groaned, so what, she turned around and walked back to the hidden entrance. First she couldn't find it, but she knew, that it must have been somewhere here. When she finally saw it, she entered the room carefully and stopped in the entrance, so that the demon couldn't see her. She looked around the corner and saw Cole and the demon standing there. They were talking peacefully and Piper supposed that it hadn't been necessary to come back. She already wanted to turn around, when she saw, that the demon raised his hand, she feared the worst and rushed into the room to blow up the demon. But Selgrin noticed her early enough and disappeared with a grin on his face.  
  
Cole looked at the place, where seconds before Selgrin was standing. "I wouldn't have risked my life, if I had known, that he'd disappear immediately, if he saw you."  
  
"What have you done here?" Piper asked and walked to him. She looked around attentively, because she suspected that the demon would appear again, but he didn't come back. "A little coffee klatch."  
  
"Yes we had a nice conversation." Cole told her, but didn't mention their topic. He was sure that Piper had expelled Selgrin early enough before he could put his plans into action. Cole was glad about it, because he didn't want to get memories from this demon. He had his doubts, if that would be his real memories. "We should leave this place, perhaps he looks for reinforcement and then he'll come back." Cole said and they went back into the passage.  
  
When they arrived at the crossing with the alarming system again, Piper showed to a hall at the right side. "We can try to go through the halls on the right side. I suppose we'll come to the same place as Paige and Phoebe." She explained and walked to the entrance.  
  
Cole hoped that she was right, but finally she had the plan, so he followed her. They had to go through some austere, but deserted halls. Finally they reached a hall, which looked the same, with rocky ground and ritual places, but Cole looked around fascinated. There was something else and finally he knew it. "This place, I ... I know it." He said surprised. "I've been here before." He sat down on a piece of rock and closed his eyes. "Yes, I was sitting in your house and Leo was lying on the couch, he was injured and I should look for him. But then somebody called for me and I was finally here. It was a woman." He opened his eyes and looked at Piper, who waited for him impatiently. "The seer, I suppose. She had a box and she offered me the opportunity to rescue Phoebe. You were in danger and I had to make the decision very fast. I had the funny feeling that my decision could have unpleasant consequences, because I knew, that deals with the underworld always have a catch somewhere. But I had no choice." He looked at Piper fascinated about his memories. "What's happened?"  
  
"You were right, there was a catch to it. But I don't think this is the right place to talk about that. We have to find Paige and Phoebe." She told him and walked to the exit on the other side.  
  
"Have I rescued you at least?" Cole asked frustrated and tried to follow Piper.  
  
"If you want to call it like that. Finally we are still alive." Piper told him coldly and he didn't hear any gratitude in her intonation.  
  
Cole stepped beside her. "In other words this was one of the decisions I shouldn't have made because of the consequences?" He asked sarcastically.  
  
"That's it."  
  
"But what should I have done? Should I let you die?" He asked indignantly. "Hey, I made a sacrifice for you."  
  
Piper stopped and turned around to him. "You have no idea, what you are talking about. The source of all evil took hold of you and that wasn't very pleasant for us, and I don't talk about the things, which happened after that." She turned back and walked into the next room.  
  
"Oh, I see!" Cole didn't say anything more and followed her absent-minded. "Couldn't I resist?"  
  
"Well, I don't know, only you know the answer." She explained.  
  
"Okay, I see, you think I was able to do it, but I didn't want to." Cole wondered, if she was right. "Do you still hold it against me?"  
  
Piper stopped again to look at him. "A lot happened, that I hold against you, and there are only a few things I can forgive you. But one thing I won't ever forget you is, that you tempted my little sister into becoming evil, you made her your queen of the underworld, you nearly destroyed her, that is inexcusable." She turned around again and Cole accepted that this topic was completed for her.  
  
He still thought about the things she has said, when they entered another hall, it seemed to be empty, too. But suddenly Piper saw something on the other side. She jumped behind a column and had to pull Cole with her, because he was still lost in thoughts. Piper looked around and searched for an escape route, she looked from behind the column carefully and noticed suddenly, that no demons were coming to her, but her sisters. Lucky she rushed to them, relieved that they were alright.  
  
Meanwhile Cole looked around thoughtfully, he even didn't notice Phoebe. "This place, I even know this place." He murmured and looked at Piper triumphantly. "I wanted to get rid of this source, I remember that. There was such a sorcerer, he wanted to get these powers and I wanted to give them to him."  
  
"What is he talking about?" Paige asked surprised.  
  
"Well he just remembered the seer and her offer." Piper looked at him and shook her head. "And now he wants to convince me, that he wanted to get rid of the powers of the source." It was obvious, that she didn't believe anything of it.  
  
Cole stepped beside her. "Yes I wanted it. Luckily there was such a sorcerer and he wanted them. He even wanted to kill me, but I wanted to give them to him voluntary." He looked around again. "I don't know if it was exactly here, but it looked like this place, or no, we decided to do that in my apartment." He looked at Piper asking. "Didn't it work?"  
  
"I don't know." Piper said. "That's new to me. Okay there was such a sorcerer, who had stolen the gremoir and he definitely wanted the powers of the source, but luckily he didn't get them. The mind boggles at the thought, what he had done with these powers."  
  
"That's it, and therefore I vanquished him." Phoebe explained carefully.  
  
"What?" Cole looked at her shocked.  
  
"Well I thought he wanted to kill you, therefore I vanquished him." Phoebe tried to explain.  
  
"Oh, you've killed him, because he wanted to kill me? Why? Did you want to do it on your own?" Cole asked ironically.  
  
"Wonderful, it's really great for you, that you can only remember events, when you didn't do anything bad." Phoebe hissed at him and gesticulated wildly. "You should go into the hospital to remember that you killed innocent people only to sent Paige to prison." She looked at him challenging.  
  
"Oh, I hope it was worth the effort." He told her angrily.  
  
"Are you crazy to scream at each other?" Paige stepped in, without caring about the things they had said. "We aren't here to search for Cole's lost memories, I thought we've other plans."  
  
Piper still looked at her sister and Cole, but she had to admit, that Paige was right. She took her plan again and tried to orientate herself.  
  
Meanwhile Cole looked at Phoebe carefully and said softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to say that."  
  
Phoebe smiled back weakly and said. "Me, too. Forget, what I have said, I didn't mean it like that."  
  
Cole nodded and turned around to follow Paige and Piper, who had finally found the right place on her plan. They walked along the corner and turned into the next passage.  
  
Cole and Phoebe were silent, both of them were lost in thoughts. Phoebe thought about their useless discussion, while Cole got his mind on other things. He tried to remember the scene with Piper and Selgrin. He was convinced that the demon hadn't had any chance to put his plan into action, or had he? Had Selgrin had the chance to give him back his memory? Cole had only felt a soft touch, a breath until Selgrin had disappeared. Such a return of memory couldn't happen so easily, it must be more spectacular, he was convinced about it. Piper had been there early enough to stop the demon. Cole brooded over this problem and looked at Phoebe's back in front of him.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe felt that there was something wrong with him. Finally she couldn't stand it any longer and turned around to him. "Is everything alright?" She asked seriously and looked at him searching.  
  
"Of course!" Cole said, but then he looked at the ground and thought concentrated. "It isn't my decision what I remember." He tried to explain her softly and hoped that he told her the truth. "They are coming without any help from me. Although I've to admit, that I'm not wild about remembering things like that, so perhaps I can direct them unconsciously."  
  
"I know, and you don't have to remember anything of it. I mean, I also don't like to do it." Phoebe explained firmly.  
  
"Okay!" He looked at her face pleased. "And if I could choose my memories, I'd prefer to remember other things." He told her with a smile and chased away his gloomy thoughts.  
  
"Oh and what do you want to remember?" She asked innocently, happy, that they had cleared up this matter.  
  
"What do you think?" Cole asked and kissed her. Phoebe flung her arms around his neck and both of them forgot their problems and the current danger and they even forgot Phoebe's sisters, who were waiting at the end of the passage annoyed.  
  
Piper took pity and walked back to them. "Can't you solve your relationship problems later, it isn't the right time for that." She told angrily.  
  
"Don't worry." Phoebe said happy and let Cole go reluctantly. "We have solved everything."  
  
"Wonderful." Piper looked at her suspiciously. "Then we can go on .... finally."  
  
Together they walked to Paige who was waiting impatiently. "What has taken you so long?" She asked and looked at Cole unsatisfied. "It was a fault to take him with us."  
  
"Well now it's too late." Phoebe explained her still happy.  
  
"And who had warned you of this demonic alarm system?" Cole asked and stepped beside Phoebe.  
  
"We had managed it, that was nothing. We got over worse situations alone, you can believe me." Paige explained him.  
  
They set off to follow the way along a narrow passage until they finally arrived at a crossing where Piper's plan ended.  
  
Phoebe looked at her plan. "Are you sure, that we are right here?" She asked Piper and looked around skeptically. "My plan doesn't start with a crossing, there must be only a corner and a passage on the right side and we've to take it."  
  
Piper looked at her plan. "Well I've only copied the map until this crossing, it was your turn to copy the next part."  
  
"Wonderful and what shall we do now?" Phoebe asked frustrated.  
  
"I think we should go straight on, probably we'll find your passage there." Paige suggested and they took the passage on the opposite side. After a while there was really a passage at the right side. They took it and followed the way until they arrived at the next corner. This place didn't fit perfectly to Phoebe's plan, but she didn't matter and tried to follow the way. But when they arrived at the next crossing it was obvious that they were wrong.  
  
"I really don't understand it, but we made a mistake somewhere." Phoebe said thoughtfully. Although she had tried to copy the map as good as possible, she couldn't find her way through this labyrinth of passages. "We have already started to follow my plan at the wrong place." She stated firmly.  
  
"Oh no, I hope that doesn't mean, that we have to go back." Piper looked at her not very enthusiastic.  
  
"We have no choice, we are wrong here. I've already told you, that there is a gap between your and my plan."  
  
They tried to walk back as fast as possible and supposed, how they should manage to find the starting point of Phoebe's plan.  
  
Meanwhile Cole had other problems. Pieces of his memories flashed through his mind. First they came only sporadic, he remembered again, that he had walked along this passage before, that he had talked to another demon. Then he saw Piper in front of him and he remembered her wedding with Leo and suddenly he knew again, that he had ordered her to choose between her mummified sisters. He tried to stop it, but it was impossible, it was like a bursting of a dam. So finally he just let them pass by and they were coming faster and faster. Most of his memories weren't so welcome that he wanted to spend his time on them and he also had no time to deal with the pleasant memories.  
  
When they arrived at the crossing where Piper's way had ended, the sisters looked at each other thoughtfully.  
  
"What shall we do now?" Paige asked. "Do you think we have to go back even further?"  
  
"No, then our plans would go well together, but there is a gap." Phoebe explained angrily. "We have to go in one direction and then we have to search for the passage on the right and then, well we'll see."  
  
Piper looked at her sceptically. "We'll never find it."  
  
"Don't be such a pessimist." Phoebe said, because she didn't want to be responsible, if they didn't find the cave.  
  
Meanwhile Cole stared at her. Thousands of memories about Phoebe flashed through his mind and just as much feelings. He couldn't believe it, he was really here with her, after everything what's happened. He wanted to tell her, to ask her so much, but they had no time. He tried not to concentrate upon his memory anymore and to focus on their current problems. He listened to the sisters, now he knew again, where they were, in a deserted part of the underworld. Even for demons it was too inhospitable. He also didn't know this place very inside out. They were searching for a secret cave, he thought and finally he remembered something.  
  
"You want to go to the closed rock face." He interrupted their considerations.  
  
"What?" Phoebe looked at him surprised.  
  
"Come on, I know how we can get there." He turned around without no further explanation.  
  
"How do you know that?" Phoebe asked and followed him.  
  
Cole stopped and turned to her. "I just know it, trust me." He told her with a smile and couldn't still believe that she looked at him with love in her eyes again.  
  
"Okay," Phoebe felt that something had happened, but she had no time to think about it now, she followed him into the next passage.  
  
Paige and Piper shrugged their shoulders, they hadn't any better idea, therefore they followed Phoebe and Cole. Without any problems Cole led them through the dimly passages. He had heard about this secret cave without an entrance. Every attempt of the demons to get into it has failed, it was impossible to get inside. There was a rumor, that there was an old spell which had the power to open the entrance to the cave, but nobody knew where they could find it.  
  
They didn't see any demon on their way, and even the sisters supposed that they didn't get lost very often in this part of the underworld. But when they arrived at the place, Cole wanted to show them, suddenly a demon from nowhere appeared behind them. He seized Paige and shimmered away with her immediately. Nobody had a chance to do anything.  
  
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other horrified. They didn't know, what to do. They suddenly saw two other demons in front of them. Phoebe looked at them shocked and noticed that she knew one of them, it was Partas. Frightened they walked back a few steps behind a corner and looked around for an escape route.  
  
Piper looked around the corner again and saw the demon and Paige appearing behind the other demons again. The demon dragged her to the others.  
  
"Oh my god, how could it happen? Why did they know, where they had to wait for us?" Phoebe asked horrified.  
  
Piper looked at Cole searching. "I can well imagine, why they knew it." she explained angrily.  
  
Phoebe followed Piper's eyes and her gaze felt on Cole. She looked at him asking.  
  
"Stop, one moment. You don't think that ... " Cole looked at them disbelieving. "Well that's just like you. Of course, me, who else?"  
  
"That's it. Who guided us to this place?" Piper asked him angrily.  
  
"That was me, but that doesn't mean a thing."  
  
"No? Well I think it does." Piper told him and shook her head. "What did you tell this demon? What is your agreement?" She flashed at him furiously.  
  
"Which demon?" Phoebe asked Piper and looked at Cole suspiciously. Perhaps he had told this demon something without intention, she supposed. She couldn't imagine, that he would let them walk into a trap, or would he?  
  
Cole looked away from her and shook his head angrily, oh no, he hated this look of her eyes.  
  
"Yes, he had a nice conversation with a demon lately and I thought that I had to help him, stupid, I know. It wasn't necessary, was it? So tell me about your plans." Piper looked at him angrily.  
  
He had enough of it, he didn't want to justify himself. "I only wanted to help you, like always. Just try to open the wall behind you first, before you condemn me unjustified." He explained grumpy.  
  
The sisters looked at the bare rock face beside them sceptically. It didn't look like an entrance to a cave. "It seems to be rather solid." Piper told him. "And we need Paige's help to open it, as if you wouldn't know that."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll take care about it, as it's often the case." He stepped around the corner and walked to the demons indefatigable, he was too furious to be afraid. He looked at Partas and this lying demon was all he needed.  
  
"Didn't you get my little gift?" Partas asked grinning, when Cole was standing in front of him. "Are you one of us again?"  
  
"Have I ever been anything else?" Cole snapped at him and his gaze fell on the other demon. Although he had his memory back, he didn't know exactly, if he knew him, everything was still rather confusing.  
  
"That's Rawet, Canterro's contact." Partas introduced him, but he didn't mention the demon holding Paige behind them. Obviously he wasn't important enough. "He told me, that the witches would come to this place to destroy the stone symbol in the secret cave." Partas explained.  
  
"So what? Where is the problem?" Cole asked surprised. "Finally Canterro keeps demons imprisoned and uses them as he wants."  
  
"Canterro is our ally. He fights for evil in the human world. He would never do anything to harm us." Rawet told him coldly.  
  
"What?" Cole looked at him disbelieving and turned to Partas. "Tell him!" He ordered him. "Tell him, that Canterro keeps demons prisoner to use them for his own purpose."  
  
But before Partas could answer, Rawet snapped at him "Quiet!" Then he turned to Cole. "These witches have put a spell over San Francisco, so that demons can't go there anymore. Now they want to extend it over the whole world. That means demons couldn't get into the upper world again."  
  
"You don't believe that?" Cole asked Partas surprised.  
  
"Well that sounds plausible." Partas shared Rawet's opinion. "Our friend Canterro has no reason to do something like that."  
  
"Our friend Canterro? I can't help wondering who has lost his memory." Cole stared at him irritated. "And what do you want to do now?"  
  
"We have to prevent them from getting into the secret cave and then we'll hand them over to Canterro." Partas explained him.  
  
Meanwhile Paige tried to wriggle out of the grip of the demon. She wanted to orb back to her sisters and then they would leave the underworld immediately, the flower of stone was of secondary importance at the moment.  
  
She wanted to free herself, but when she tried to orb away she failed, the demon seemed to have an ability which made it impossible for her to orb away. She looked at Cole angrily, who was talking to the demons. She couldn't hear exactly, what they were talking about, but she also wasn't interested in it. She was convinced that he had made a deal with them. Otherwise the demon wouldn't have known, which of the sisters he had to take. She shook her head, they had been idiots that they had followed him. As far as the eye could see, there wasn't the entrance to the secret cave. It was a fault to take him with them to the underworld, he had messed up everything.  
  
Piper and Phoebe looked around the corner to the demons. Cole was standing in front of them, therefore Piper didn't dare to blow them up, but when she tried to freeze them, she failed. She looked at Phoebe desperately. "We have to rescue her. And then we'll vanish immediately. It was a mistake to go here."  
  
Phoebe nodded. "But how?"  
  
But before they could do anything, Paige could finally hit the demon and freed herself. She tried to orb to her sisters, but she failed again. She ran back, away from the demon and finally she managed it, seconds later, she was standing behind her sisters. In relief she raised out her hand for her sisters and Piper took it immediately. But Phoebe hesitated. What if Cole was right, if they were really standing in front of the secret cave, they shouldn't miss this chance.  
  
Phoebe looked at her sisters thoughtfully. "It's worth a try." She finally said, although she saw out of the corner of her eyes, that the demons were coming to them. "Paige can always orb us away."  
  
Meanwhile Cole tried to stop the demons and placed himself in their way, but it was a waste of time. Rawet pushed him away effortlessly. But when Partas wanted to use his iron ray, Rawet stopped him. "Canterro wants him alive, he won't escape." He told him confidential. "And we'll get the witches, too."  
  
Paige and Piper groaned, but they agreed to try it. They stepped beside Phoebe in front of the bare rock face and Phoebe put out the note with the spell. Then they finally read it. 


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45  
  
To everybody's surprise the wall started to move and a narrow gap appeared. The witches were so astonished that they had really found the cave, that they nearly missed the chance to enter it, before the gap closed again. They rushed into the cave and Paige, who was last had to throw herself on the ground, otherwise the closing wall would have squashed her leg.  
  
The demons were standing angry on the other side. They didn't have a chance to get into the cave.  
  
"You're an idiot!" Rawet snapped at the demon, who had kept Paige. "Why did this witch slip away?"  
  
The demon shrugged his shoulders and already knew, that his fate was sealed. Rawet threw an energy ball at him and the demon burnt to death.  
  
"And what shall I tell Canterro?" He asked Partas furiously.  
  
But Partas didn't answer, but shimmered away immediately, because he didn't want to tempt his fate.  
  
Now Rawet turned to Cole, who tried desperately to find the note, Phoebe had given him. He knew, that he had put it in one of his pockets, but in which one? He didn't know, that he had so many pockets.  
  
"Everything is your fault." Rawet screamed at him angrily.  
  
Cole looked up absolutely surprised and even stopped for one moment to search for the piece of parchment. "Me?"  
  
"Of course you, if you hadn't diverted us, that wouldn't have happened." The demon hissed in rage, as if he had to find someone else, he could blame for his failure. "But perhaps I can take you as prisoner to Canterro. That will placate him. Although..." He looked at Cole doubtfully. "It seems as if you can't defend yourself. When I hit you against the wall, you didn't do anything and now you don't shimmer away, as every usual demon would do." He smiled nastily. "What's going on with you? Have you forgotten how to use your demonic powers, too?"  
  
"You'd like to know that, do you?" Cole told him grimly and took a close look at Rawet, who came nearer slowly and with great relish. Finally Cole noticed something which had disturbed him the whole time. Rawet didn't have a shimmering connection to Canterro or Cole didn't see any. "Canterro is a traitor, why do you associate with him?" Cole asked and searched desperately for the damn note. Finally he found something, which felt like paper. He put it out of his pocket carefully.  
  
"I'd say, you are the traitor. Partas was convinced that we could bring you back on the right track, but I always had my doubts about it. And I was right." Now he was standing in front of Cole. He smiled self-satisfied and wanted to seize him.  
  
But Cole finally held the piece of parchment in his hand and hoped with every fiber of his being, that Phoebe's spell would work. He tore up the note and vanished in front of an astonished Rawet.  
  
Some time later Cole was standing in the apartment again and a no less astonished Leo stared at him. "Everything is alright." Cole told him. "They are in the secret cave."  
  
"And they let you alone?" Leo asked surprised.  
  
"Looks like that." Cole looked at Leo and all kinds of memories flashed through his mind. He smiled and shook his head, it was different now to stand here together with him again. "They are fine, don't worry." He tried to calm him down and walked into the kitchen.  
  
He noticed to his relief, that Leo stayed in the living room. He was sitting on the sofa and listened attentively. Cole wondered if that was necessary, because he had his doubts, that Leo would have a chance to get into the cave, but Cole didn't want to tell him anything about it. He wasn't interested to explain him more than necessary. He turned around and saw the book still lying there. Cole was surprised, that Leo had left it lying on the table, but he probably had had other problems. Cole sat down and looked at it.  
  
He still had some gaps in his memory, therefore he didn't remember which powers the demon Selgrin exactly had. He remembered that he knew him, and that he had the power to drive mortals to insanity. But why was he in the position to bring back his memory? And was it really his own memory, or was it manipulated somehow? Cole couldn't remember for example what Partas did to him in the past.  
  
He looked at the book sceptically and hesitated. But why shouldn't he be able to touch it, finally he had taken it to this place. He opened it carefully and nothing happened. Satisfied he leafed through it and finally he found the page about Selgrin. He started to read, Selgrin had the power to interfere in human brains. He could direct brain streams, so that the victims went insane. But Cole supposed that Selgrins's intervention had returned his blocked memories. He had the chance to access to them again. So it was his own memory, that was one problem less. Okay, he could remember again, no problem, but he hoped the side effect wouldn't drive him mad, like Selgrin's other victims. But he had some doubts about it, finally the demon returned his memory to tempt him to come back to the underworld. It wouldn't be very useful to have a demon, who was out of his mind, such a demon was too unpredictable, unfortunately he knew it from experience.  
  
Lost in thoughts, he didn't notice that Leo was suddenly standing in the door. He looked at Cole shocked and asked. "What are you doing there?"  
  
"Don't worry," Cole explained in a calm voice. "I had to look for something."  
  
"In the Book of Shadows?" Leo looked at him sceptically and came closer.  
  
Cole stood up and let the book lying open on the table. "Yes, is that a problem for you?" Without waiting for Leo's answer he went into the living room and walked to the door. "I'm going now." he told Leo.  
  
Leo looked at him and didn't know, how he should see the situation. "You are going now? Don't you want to wait for Phoebe?"  
  
Cole shook his head. "No, I don't think so." He just wanted to open the door, but Leo stopped him.  
  
"What's happened in the underworld?" Leo asked.  
  
Cole sighed and turned around to free from Leo's hand. "That's too complicated." He told him shortly. "They'll tell you everything." But when he thought about it, he had to smile. "Although I don't know, what they'll tell you." He really didn't know, how they had made sense of it. And he prefered not to know it. He turned to the door again and left the apartment without telling Leo anything else. He walked to his car and suddenly he missed badly, that he couldn't shimmer home. He stopped at his car and tried to convince himself, that there was a blocking of magic over San Francisco, so he would always have to take the car, no matter if he could shimmer or not.  
  
Meanwhile the sisters were standing in the secret cave in the underworld. It had the same form like the other cave in the upper world, but the atmosphere was quite different, calm and bright. They saw a stone symbol in front of them at the wall. It really looked like a flower of stone and was emblazoned majestically on the rock face. It gave the whole cave a special aura and the sisters were spellbound by the atmosphere of the cave, it was breathtaking.  
  
"I've never thought that something beautiful like this could exist in the underworld." Phoebe explained respectfully.  
  
"Well I think that's only possible, because the demons can't get here." Piper said and looked around. "Look, there are the same drawings at the walls like in the other cave."  
  
Paige went closer and looked at them. "Yes, if they show us the way to the stone flower in the upper world?"  
  
"I suppose that." Piper explained and went to the drawings, too. Suddenly she looked around irritated. She noticed at a closer look, that some points at the drawing were rubbed out and painted over.  
  
Paige, who was standing beside her, saw it too. "Do you think the cave knows, that the other stone flower isn't in the cave anymore, but at Canterro's?"  
  
"That's possible, but it isn't important at the moment." Piper decided. And they went to Phoebe, who was standing in front of the flower and looked at it fascinated.  
  
"It's so beautiful. I have a bad feeling to destroy it." Phoebe said unhappy and passed her hand over a single petal. The surface was incredible smooth and felt cold and pleasant.  
  
"We don't know, if this flower will be affected by the spell, too. Finally we only want to destroy Canterro's stone symbol." Piper tried to comfort her.  
  
Phoebe nodded and put out the spell, they had already used to destroy Canterro's amulet. They stepped back and looked at each other. Together they read the spell. They waited excited, but nothing happened, the flower and the atmosphere in the cave didn't change.  
  
"Do you think it didn't work?" Paige asked surprised.  
  
Her sisters shrugged their shoulders. "Don't know, I'd say this stone symbol still has it's powers."  
  
Paige looked around. "Perhaps we should copy the plan to the other stone flower as a precaution." She said and walked to the end of the painting.  
  
"Oh no, not again." Phoebe said reluctantly. "Keep me out of it. You've seen the result."  
  
"There was only a gap between your and my plan, that's why we got into trouble." Piper explained, but she also didn't feel like copying the plan. But somehow she knew that it was necessary.  
  
Paige turned around and said. "Don't worry, this time it isn't so much. I think this place is Canterro's house in the town." She showed them a blurred point at the drawing. "And this is the street in front of it. So we only have to copy the way inside the house. I can do it on my own." She put out a piece of paper and a pen and started to copy the plan.  
  
Shortly after she had finished it, the atmosphere in the cave changed. The sisters looked at the stone flower and noticed, that the petals didn't shine so brightly anymore, only the center was shining brighter. It was obvious that the flower was still working, but it had lost a part of it's aura. And the atmosphere in the cave had changed, too. It didn't radiate the same sadness, as the one in the upper world did, but it had lost a lot of it's charisma. The change was unmistakable.  
  
"Our spell had worked." Piper stated dryly.  
  
"It looks like that." Paige said, but nevertheless she put the note into her pocket. "But it seems as if this stone symbol is still working and we have only destroyed the power of the other one. Hopefully Canterro's blockade of magic doesn't work anymore."  
  
"We've done what we could to stop it." Piper said and reach out for Paige. "So what are we waiting for?"  
  
Phoebe looked around thoughtfully, she felt bad about destroying the unique atmosphere of the cave, but they had had no choice. She sighed and went to Paige. Together they left the cave and orbed back into the apartment, where Leo was waiting for them concerned.  
  
"I'm so glad that you are here again, I already worried about you. What's happened?" Leo asked and hugged Piper, who immediately tried to calm him down.  
  
"Everything is alright." She said. "We've found the cave and we've destroyed Canterro's stone symbol. Well we hope it at least."  
  
Phoebe looked at Paige and her brother-in-law. "One of you could try it."  
  
"No problem." Paige said cheerful and disappeared. A few minutes later she appeared again. "I could orb home." She explained with a grin. "I think everything is as it has to be. Canterro's blockade doesn't work anymore. And I've taken something with me." She waved with her purse.  
  
"Okay then we should pay the bill and go home." Piper decided and took Leo's arm.  
  
"Cole already set off, too. He didn't want to wait for you." Leo told them, and it was obvious that Leo didn't understand it.  
  
"Cole?" Phoebe asked surprised. "He had been here?" She had to admit, that she didn't think about him after this strange scene with the demons. The atmosphere of the cave had spellbound her too much. And she didn't want to rack her brains about the fact that he had guided them into the demons. Well, okay and in front of the cave, too.  
  
"Yes, it was strange and he didn't want to tell me, what has happened in the underworld." Leo looked at the sisters thoughtfully.  
  
"No wonder!" Paige said scornfully.  
  
Leo didn't care about Paige's comment and added. "And he had leafed through the Book of Shadows."  
  
"What?" he heard from the sisters. "In our Book of Shadows?"  
  
Phoebe rushed into the kitchen and saw to her relief, that the book was still lying on the table. She stepped closer and noticed that it was open. She sat down on a chair and started to read curiously.  
  
"Selgrin." She read aloud.  
  
Piper stepped beside her and looked into the book. "That's the demon, who was talking to Cole." She recognized him immediately.  
  
Phoebe looked at her surprised and continued. "..has the power to interfere in human brains. He can direct brain streams and his victims go insane." She looked at the others. "Do you think, what I am thinking?"  
  
They nodded. "He has returned Cole's memory." Piper said thoughtfully and remembered that Cole had started to tell her about his memories about the seer, after their meeting with the demon.  
  
"That's the reason, why he knew the right way." Phoebe realized happy, because she concluded that he didn't lure them into the trap.  
  
"But why should a demon do him this favor?" Paige asked sceptically. "He would just do it, if he got something in return. Well and I'd say, we were the return favor."  
  
Piper nodded. "You are right, that's possible. Finally Cole had talked with Selgrin for a while and Selgrin had said, that he was waiting for him."  
  
Phoebe shook her head resolutely. "No, I don't believe that. Cole himself was surprised that he could remember something of his past again. And he finally guided us to the right place." She tried to explain Cole's behavior.  
  
"But Phoebe can you tell me, how the demons knew where they had to wait for us?" Piper asked.  
  
Phoebe shrugged her shoulders and looked at Paige. "Did you hear, what they were talking about?"  
  
"No, I had other problems, I had to try to free myself from this demon. I think it was about Canterro."  
  
"There you are!" Phoebe looked at Piper more confident, than she really was. "Canterro knew were he could find the other stone flower, but he didn't find a way to get into the cave. Therefore he has sent the demons to this place, because he expected us to come."  
  
Piper looked at her sister doubtfully, she understood that she wanted to believe her explanation, therefore she decided not to say another word at the moment.  
  
But Paige saw it differently. "Well I don't think that ....." She started, but stopped, when she saw Piper's angry look.  
  
Leo used this opportunity to join in the conversation. "Do you really think Selgrin gave Cole back his memory?" When the sisters nodded, Leo sighed. "I have to tell the elders about it. They won't be glad about it. The whole affair developed quite different. They had really planed something else for him." Thoughtfully he looked at the table. "At least he could leaf through the book without any problems."  
  
"Exactly!" Phoebe explained and looked at him thankfully. "What did I tell you?" She looked at her sisters triumphantly.  
  
"I think we should go now, we can philosophize about this subject at home." Piper said firmly and looked at her husband. He nodded and they disappeared together, while Paige and Phoebe wanted to pay the bill first, until they would follow them. 


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46  
  
Cole couldn't really sleep the whole night, but he avoided to find sleep with the help of alcohol again. In the morning he went up and looked into the mirror. Okay, he knew again, who he really was. Most of his memories were frightening, but it was his own life and all added up finally. Everything made sense and that gave him a kind of internal security and confidence.  
  
Although he knew again, that he had done and had gone through all these things, they were far away for him, as if he would watch a movie. Some parts of the movie were strangely dim and other parts absolutely clear. At least he had a spectacular title for his memoirs now: "My life as a demon." Oh, Phoebe wouldn't like that.  
  
Well, Phoebe, she really had told him the strangest things the last time, but he wasn't angry with her, on the contrary, her inventiveness made quite an impression on him. Cole shook his head, why had she reacted so normally to his appearance this time, well at least for Phoebe. When he came back from the wasteland, she had been unyielding. There had been an invincible wall of ice in front of her, even when he had been convinced that he would be able to be good, that he had control over the demon powers inside of him, he had had no chance to get over it. She hadn't been interested in it, she had been convinced that he was evil, no matter how hard he tried. Phoebe had been uncompromising, she had locked him out of her life and didn't give him a chance.  
  
So why now? When the sisters had vanquished him, Phoebe had really convinced him at least, that she didn't love him anymore, that she perhaps never loved him the way he did. It didn't matter, that it hadn't been really her, because nothing could change his love for her, not even a loss of memory. Nothing was able to get at his feelings, absolutely nothing could change them. So why didn't Phoebe feel the same? He had never thought, that anything could destroy the bond between them, but she did it. And he had had nothing to fight for anymore, so he didn't really care when they vanquished him at the end.  
  
But now she had admitted, that she had made mistakes. He had never hoped to hear anything like that from her ever. Much less than he thought, that she would ever look like him with love in her eyes again, like she did the last days. He didn't want to think what would happen now. Her distrustful look spoke volumes, he didn't want to know, how they had made sense of the events in the underworld. He had enough of it. Perhaps he had to make up his mind what he really wanted, he thought grimly. Well that was a good one, but nevertheless he had to think about his opportunities. Cole shook his head and decided to stop this for a moment.  
  
Nevertheless he couldn't get it out of his mind. How was it possible, that he suddenly turned up in Seattle? Phoebe had told him that somebody decided it, but was that the truth? Or couldn't he die, because he had died in his own fantasy world? And how was it possible, that he could lead a usual life. Cole was surprised that somebody could manage it, today a crazy demon with the most powerful demonic powers, that ever existed and tomorrow a usual mortal with no idea of magic. Well he did an excellent job, he thought satisfied with himself. He had never thought that it would be so easy to live without any powers, the secret was not to know anything about magic.  
  
Cole looked at his watch and decided to go to the paper. Today, he really was only a usual human and he had to try to live this life at the moment. Finally he knew that he was able to do it.  
  
During the morning he got the offer to report about a beach festival, which attracted a lot of people every year. The festival would take place in a little town not far from San Francisco. Cole agreed to go there immediately without thinking. A few days away from San Francisco, that was the kind of diversion, he just needed. After lunch he could leave the paper and went home to pack his bag. Right in the middle of it, his door bell was ringing. Cole supposed that it could be Phoebe and he wasn't really sure, how he should react, after he knew again, that they had been through a lot together and against each other. But when he finally opened the door, he saw to his surprise Helen.  
  
"Helen, you're back again?" He asked surprised.  
  
"Yes, your orbing friend came for us and told us, that we aren't in danger anymore, because they have settled the problem."  
  
"That's great." Cole said and stepped aside to let her in. He hadn't thought about Canterro anymore, but it was great, that they had put a stop to his game.  
  
Helen looked at him searching. "What's happened?"  
  
"Don't know, I wasn't there." He told her in accordance with the facts and walked back into his bedroom.  
  
Helen followed him and looked around. "You're packing?" She asked surprised.  
  
"Yes," Cole was glad to change the subject. "I'll report about such a famous beach festival. It takes place not far from San Francisco, and I've to go there for a few days."  
  
"You can count yourself lucky." She said and put away his clothes to sit down on a chair. "But the doctor told me, that I can start to work again next week. Peter already went to the paper and is looking for an interesting job, although he also has holidays until the end of the week." Helen looked at Cole thoughtfully. "The whole affair distracts him more than me."  
  
"You haven't seen a real demon, like he did." Cole tried to explain. "Well aside from me." he added dryly and turned back to his wardrobe.  
  
"I know, perhaps that's the reason, why I don't believe anything of this." She watched him putting clothes from his wardrobe into the suitcase and she felt that there was something wrong with him. "But there is something else, isn't it?" She looked at him attentively.  
  
"No, what makes you think that? Everything is alright." Cole said, but didn't look up.  
  
"Well I feel that there is something wrong with you." Helen stated firmly. "Come on tell me."  
  
"Okay, I can remember again." Cole said shortly, but didn't stop packing his back.  
  
"What?" Helen jumped up and held his arm to get his full attention. "You have your memory back? But why?"  
  
"Well a demon thought that would be a good idea." Cole explained with a shrug.  
  
"Oh and ... and how is it?" She looked at him searching.  
  
Cole laughed. "It's okay, now I finally understand everything much better."  
  
"And do you also remember I mean, do you really have ..." Helen stopped.  
  
"If I really have been a demon and killed people? Yes, but don't worry." He looked at her satisfied. "I gave up on this."  
  
"That's a relief, thank goodness, I was really afraid." She said sarcastically.  
  
Cole frowned. "If you really knew, what I've done in my life, you wouldn't say that."  
  
Helen shook her head unbelieving. "I just don't know, what I should think about it."  
  
"I'd say just forget it."  
  
Helen looked at him thoughtfully. "And you'll do the same?"  
  
"No, I won't forget it. I'll take it as it is. I've lived as a usual human last year. And this experience showed me, that I'm able to do it and that it's not as bad as all."  
  
Helen smiled. "Really? So you think it's bearable."  
  
"To put it in simple terms, yes." Cole smile. "You know, as long as I'm together with other powerless humans like you, it even doesn't disturb me that much, that I'm also powerless." He explained and turned back to his suitcase.  
  
Helen watched him and asked finally. "And you'll stay at the paper?"  
  
Cole turned to Helen and explained her angrily. "Yes, what are you thinking of? That I'm going back to my demon friends in the underworld?"  
  
"No, I thought you want to work as a lawyer again." She told him offended.  
  
"Oh that, no." He shook his head. "I'm not interested in it at the moment." He smiled at her in excuse. "But just let me finish packing my bag. Finally I have to go by car, I can't shimmer anymore."  
  
"Poor fellow, that's the lot of powerless creatures." She walked to the door to go, but then she stopped and turned around again. "And Phoebe?" She asked.  
  
Cole closed his suitcase and didn't look up. "I don't know, at the moment she has her doubts about me again."  
  
"Why that?" Helen asked surprised.  
  
"Don't know, that's just like her." Cole told her annoyed.  
  
"But she won't do that without a reason." Helen said and looked at him sceptically.  
  
"Oh Phoebe and her sisters always find a reason to mistrust me." He explained sarcastically.  
  
"And you are absolutely innocent?" It was obvious, that Helen didn't believe that.  
  
Cole put out his keys and took his jacket, then he glanced at Helen still annoyed. "I didn't always do the right things, okay, that's a fact, I confess it. Although Phoebe would say that that's the understatement of the century. But you know, every time they were in trouble, they came to me. Then it was great to know somebody with demonic powers. Cole, Phoebe is in danger, you have to rescue her, finally you love her. And I did it. Or, Cole my sisters are in danger, please do that for me. Well that it was." He said thoughtfully and then he looked at Helen angrily. "But every time, when it was over they changed their minds, they didn't want to have me in their lives. Cole, you are a demon and you'll always be a demon, you are evil. Perhaps you believe that you can be good, but that is wrong. They knew it better and then they did everything that it came true. Isn't that great?" He looked at her with a sad smile. "And that's the same today. Instead of listening, they always condemn me immediately. Well I've enough of it for the moment."  
  
"And this order suits you fine?"  
  
Cole took his suitcase and they went to the door. "That's it. I've to think about everything to find out, what I really want." He opened the door and they left his apartment.  
  
"I'd say you fear, that Phoebe doesn't want anymore." Helen pointed out.  
  
Cole looked at her grimly. "You're lucky, that I haven't any demonic powers anymore, otherwise I had probably killed you with my little finger, because of your comment."  
  
"Oh, then I hit your sore point." Helen stated less impressed of his threat.  
  
"No, you didn't." Cole said firmly.  
  
"Okay, if you say so. But how can I reach you, if there is something necessary?" She asked.  
  
"The editorial office has the phone number of my holiday apartment." He locked up his door.  
  
Helen wanted to go, but Cole stopped her. "And Helen, if Phoebe asks for me, well I don't think that she'll do that, but if she asks for me, you won't tell her, where I am, okay?"  
  
Helen nodded and she finally knew, that she had been right with her assumption. She said goodbye and saw him disappear in the elevator.  
  
When the Halliwells arrived at home last evening, they had celebrated their triumph over Canterro properly. Phoebe didn't think about Cole anymore and enjoyed the evening. The next day, when she was sitting in her office and saw the pile of work in front of her, she had other things on her mind. But in the afternoon, when she leaned back in her chair exhausted, she finally allowed herself to think about his strange part in this affair.  
  
She didn't know, what she should think about the likely fact that he could remember again. Everything what had happened in the past was more realistic now, and she really didn't want that. When he had forgotten everything, she could do the same as she liked, that was a great relief for their relationship.  
  
And what did the demon get to help Cole and give him back his memory? Despite all her skepticism, she couldn't imagine that Cole had betrayed them, that he had set a trap for them to get his memory back. He hadn't been very keen on it. Perhaps he had blabbed out something unconsciously. Finally he had talked to Selgrin and to Partas. Or Partas did it out of gratitude for Cole's help, Phoebe pulled a face, no, that was impossible, demons didn't know gratitude.  
  
She didn't understand anything of it, maybe he had really planned it with Partas, to get his memory back, but she didn't want to believe it. She stared at the phone, she had to find out what had happened, although she'd prefer to forget it.  
  
Phoebe hesitated, but then she dialed the number of Cole's apartment. She supposed, that he wouldn't start to work immediately again, but to her surprise, nobody answered. She sighed and dialed the number of his office, but nobody answered, she only heard the answering machine. She didn't want to leave a message on it, therefore she hang up. She still had enough time to call him later. She couldn't deny, that she didn't mind to delay a talk to Cole a little bit.  
  
But when she couldn't reach him whether at home, nor at his office during the next days, she started to worry. What had happened? Was he in trouble? Or was everything too much for him, well she couldn't imagine this. Finally she left a few messages on his answering machine in the office, but she didn't hear anything of Cole. Perhaps he was angry about her, she supposed, although she was convinced that he didn't have a reason. The whole affair frightened Phoebe more than she would admit. When she finally went to his apartment and nobody opened the door, she was scared. She nearly wanted to ask Paige to orb her into his apartment, but she didn't want to talk about Cole with her sisters at the moment.  
  
On Saturday afternoon Helen suddenly visited Phoebe. They went into the living room and sat facing one another. Phoebe supposed that Helen wanted to talk with her about Cole and she didn't know what she should expect, therefore she waited excited.  
  
"I went to the paper today, well I'll start to work again on Monday and I wanted to look after things." Helen started to tell Phoebe. "At this occasion I listened to Cole's answering machine and I heard your messages."  
  
"Oh!" Phoebe let out, that was the point. "I tried to reach him, but he didn't answer the phone." she explained angrily.  
  
"Well I suppose he didn't get your messages, he went to a beach festival to report about it." She explained and rummaged in her bag. Then she put out a piece of paper and gave it to Phoebe. "Here. That is the phone number of the holiday resort, where he stays."  
  
Phoebe took the note and looked at it in relief. So it hadn't been necessary to worry about him. Well he really could have told her about it, she thought angrily.  
  
"Cole didn't want that I give it to you, but I think that's rubbish." Helen said resolutely.  
  
Phoebe looked at her surprised. "You've met him before?"  
  
"Yes." Helen nodded and looked at Phoebe searching. "He has told me, that he can remember again."  
  
"Really?" Phoebe asked. "And what else did he tell you?"  
  
"Oh, he was packing his back and he didn't have a lot of time. He told me, that a demon gave him back his memory. What's happened?" Helen asked curiously.  
  
"I'd really like to know that." Phoebe said and groaned. "I've no idea, how he has arranged it."  
  
"What did he tell you?"  
  
"Nothing, we didn't talk together after it, he had to disappear without saying anything." Phoebe explained angrily.  
  
"Oh, I see!" Helen looked at her attentively. "Well he complained about you, he told me, that you always mistrust him unjustified. And I think that's the reason, why he wanted to leave the town for a while."  
  
"Oh that's a good one, unjustified. I thought he can remember again, then he can't claim anything like that." Phoebe shook her head.  
  
"I don't know, what's happened, but I think you should call him or better you should go there to clear up this misunderstanding."  
  
"He let us walk into a trap and as luck would have it he got his memory back. I think you have to have your doubts about it." Phoebe explained and waited for Helen's confirmation.  
  
"Okay, but probably it was only pure chance, he would never endanger you." Helen said firmly.  
  
Phoebe smiled sadly, "Oh Helen, you don't know, what he is able to do."  
  
Helen looked at her obstinately. "No, perhaps I don't know, what he had done in his past and what he had done to you. But I know him today, and he is one of my best friends, I ever had. And this time I'm sure about it."  
  
Phoebe looked at her with a contemptuous smile. When Helen saw it, she was getting angry. "Probably I know the present Cole better, than you do." She jumped up and went to the door. "I'd suggest you to talk to him. I suppose there was a reason, why you gave him another chance, wasn't it?" She didn't wait for the answer and left the room.  
  
Phoebe heard the front door slam shut and looked down at the note. What did Helen think she was? Of course she wanted to talk to Cole, otherwise she hadn't tried to reach him over and over again. And who didn't answer? Cole! Resolutely she took the phone and dialed the number, which was the direct dialing to his apartment. She heard the monotonous too, but nobody answered. She hang up and thought about it. She looked at the note and saw the address of the holiday resort. She looked at her watch and decided to go there. It would take one hour to get there, but she had no choice, now she finally knew where she could meet Cole. She couldn't wait, she had to do it now. She had to get over this matter.  
  
She took her jacket and went to the door. When she opened it, Piper was standing in front of her.  
  
"Hello Phoebe, where will you go?" She looked at her asking.  
  
"Cole stays in a holiday apartment at the sea, I've to go there to talk to him." Phoebe told her firmly.  
  
Piper looked at her sister sceptically. "Are you sure?"  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Yes, I want do know, what has really happened in the underworld and why he is able to remember again."  
  
Piper understood her, she knew, that she couldn't stop her sister to go there. And probably it was better for her to do it, but Piper hoped, that she wouldn't be taken in by him. "Okay, but be careful."  
  
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself. What can happen?" She wanted to go to her car, when Piper turned around again.  
  
"Oh Phoebe, I just forgot it, if Cole really didn't want to get his memory back, Leo can arrange it that he'll forget everything again, if he wants."  
  
Phoebe looked at her sceptically. "I don't think that he wants it, even if it wasn't his intention to get his memory back." She told her convinced.  
  
Piper shrugged her shoulders. "That was only a proposal." She entered the house and Phoebe went to her car.  
  
When Phoebe arrived in front of the holiday resort, she parked her car and got off. She entered the foyer and wanted to go to the reception. But the woman was just busy with somebody else, so Phoebe passed by and went into the corridor, which led to the apartments. Nobody cared about her, everybody thought that she has rent an apartment here. Satisfied Phoebe put out the note with Cole's phone number and looked at it. She supposed that the last numbers were the number of Cole's apartment. She entered the corridor and looked at the door, 12 and she was searching for number 19.  
  
Shortly after she was standing in front of number 19. She knocked forcefully at the door, but nobody opened. She knocked again, but obviously Cole wasn't there. She looked around and saw an exit not far away. She went to the door which led to the beach of the resort. She supposed, that Cole was out on a festival event or something like that, but nevertheless it was worth a try.  
  
She went through the door and was on the resort owned beach. The sky was gray and covered with clouds and the wind lashed the sea. The weather wasn't inviting and therefore there weren't a lot of people on the beach. The sunshades and the sunbeds were standing folded under a shelter, only one couple had taken a sunbed. They made themselves at home with a blanket. Straight on the sea was building huge waves and they were crashing at the beach. Only a few people walked along the beach and Phoebe saw somebody sitting at a rock right at the sea. She walked slowly into his direction and noticed soon, that he was Cole. She remember that she was sitting on a rock at the beach not long ago and Cole had found her. Shortly after this there had been a thunderstorm and they had sought shelter in this small cabin. Then she hadn't known what she should expect and she also didn't know it today.  
  
The waves crashed into the breakwater and ended in white crest at the beach. Cole watched this spectacle of nature and it didn't disturb him, that he was getting wet from the sea spray. When Phoebe was standing behind him, he turned around and looked at her surprised. He hadn't heard her, because the sea was too loud, but he had felt that somebody was coming closer.  
  
They stared at each other attentively and finally Phoebe asked him. "So you can remember again?" She had to shout, because of the noise of the waves.  
  
Cole nodded and stood up. He put his hand on her back and led her away from this place. "We should go somewhere else, it's too loud to talk here." He explained her.  
  
Silent they walked back to the beach, Phoebe couldn't deny, that she was glad to see him unharmed again. She had really missed him she had to realize. But actually she wasn't surprised about it, finally she missed him the whole last year. Meanwhile the couple went inside, but the sunbed was still standing there. Cole and Phoebe walked to it and sat down beside each other. They looked at the beach and were still silent, nobody wanted to start the conversation.  
  
Cole ran his hand through his wet hair and Phoebe looked at him attentively. "You can remember everything again?" She asked finally.  
  
"Yes, okay, there are still some gaps, I can't remember details of some parts of my demonic life, but the last years are clearly." He looked at her interested. "Now I know again, why you've killed me."  
  
"That's good." Was her short answer.  
  
He smiled and watched the sea again. "Well but now you've finally confessed that you made mistakes, too." He told her with a satisfied smile.  
  
"Stop, one moment. I didn't mean it like that." Phoebe said hardly convincing.  
  
"If you say so." Cole knew what she had said, but he didn't want to go on talking about it, therefore he explained. "I don't know, but in the end you've really convinced me, that you can't stand me anymore. Well I know, I was slow on the uptake. But I couldn't believe that you didn't love me anymore, that our love didn't mean anything to you anymore. First when you vanquished me ... again, I had to realize it."  
  
"That wasn't really me." She admitted.  
  
Cole shook his head thoughtfully. "And then I only had to loose my memory and you've changed your mind, and everything was as it was in the beginning. You could have really told me about this solution earlier."  
  
Phoebe looked at him disbelieving. "You've been a demon, a demon who was evil and obsessed with me. Well amnesia hadn't helped you along."  
  
"Well that was only your opinion." He said, but he wasn't interested to discuss about it. "But nevertheless I'm surprised that you got in with me again." He looked at her thoughtfully.  
  
"You crossed my way steadily." She explained lame.  
  
"I've done that before, but that time you even didn't want to talk to me. Despite telling me constantly that you don't feel anything for me anymore, because I'm evil anyhow and always have been evil, that it's over and that you've moved on, you didn't want to talk to me." He looked at her forcefully. "I couldn't explain you the whole situation, that I've never wanted to become the leader of the underworld, I only wanted you. I just wanted to rescue you. The seer betrayed me, I've tried to fight against it, but it was impossible. But I think you always knew that, nevertheless you gave up on us."  
  
"My god, Cole. I was married with the source of all evil and even worse I was lucky. And when I found out about it, I didn't leave you immediately, no I became the queen of the underworld, only because I loved you so much. How could I trust my feelings ever again?" Phoebe asked him excited. "I was sure that our love wasn't good for me, that it was wrong."  
  
"You should have given me a chance, finally you also give it to me now." Cole explained thoughtfully.  
  
"Now I had to talk to you steadily." She said and sighed. In the past she had to shut herself off otherwise the pain would have been unbearable for her, it would have rent her heart. But she knew today, that it hadn't been a cure-all, it couldn't make her happy and she continued. "Apart from that a year passed by, a year without you well it makes a big difference. I would have never admitted it, but everything was so empty for me." She said softly and looked at him irritated. He still stared at the sea and Phoebe asked grimly "What's that supposed to be? Do you complain that we are together now?"  
  
"May I be surprised? And why am I still here? Why did I turn up in Seattle without my memory?" Cole tried to change the subject for the moment.  
  
Phoebe noticed, that he couldn't know it. "Well, you won't believe it, but the elders thought, that you deserve a chance for a usual life, don't ask me why." She explained with a shrug.  
  
Cole looked at her totally surprised. "Really? I can't imagine that."  
  
"Well we were surprised, too, you can believe me. But they didn't plan that we'd see us ever again."  
  
He looked at her with a satisfied grin. "Is that so? And they didn't like it, did they?"  
  
"It's safe to assume that they were shocked." She told him and smiled.  
  
They looked to the sea far away again and watched the lashing winds and the heavy sea.  
  
Finally Cole began to speak again. "I don't want to justify myself. Today, I also can't understand, why I had the idea to do the things I've done." He stopped shortly and continued. "But I've to tell you one thing. When you didn't want to help me to escape from the Wasteland, I couldn't understand it. I really couldn't believe that you told me give up and go to hell." Phoebe wanted to say something, but he stopped her. "No, it's okay, you felt that way. I have to accept that you wanted to get rid of me."  
  
"I didn't want to use Black Magic, after everything what happened, you have to understand me." She justified herself.  
  
Cole looked at her sceptically. "Well you told me, that you never wanted to use magic ever again, that you wanted to give your powers back." He pointed out. "But so what. I only wanted to say, that I've never really understood why you were convinced that it won't work with us, that it was over, no matter how much we love each other. Well in this moment, I really didn't want to fight anymore. I was looking for the beast and when it was coming for another demon, I only wanted that it would be over soon. Perhaps it was a thought, but it was pure chance that I could absorb the powers of the dying demons. I didn't expect anything like that. But of course I didn't say no and used the chance to get as much powers as I could get. And when I was powerful enough to come back to the real world, it was just in time to safe your life."  
  
He looked at her forcefully. "I thought that had a special meaning, that it was fate. You once told me, that nothing could change your love for me, that a life without me would be senseless for you. I trusted in it, because I felt the same. Therefore I couldn't understand that you couldn't forgive me, that you couldn't trust me anymore. I thought that I'd only have to wait and to show you that I'm good. In time everything would be like it was before, but things were going from bad to worse. You departed from me more and more and you were looking for other men. Well beside I'm not good in waiting, I couldn't bear it anymore." He shook his head and looked at her thoughtfully. "Did you really think that a life without you, without our love would have any sense for me? You couldn't really have believed that."  
  
"I had no choice, I couldn't think about it, I just hoped it." She explained unluckily.  
  
"Oh really? Well I even wanted to try, I wanted to go and let you alone, but when Paige showed me what you are still feeling for me, I couldn't give up. But it was useless and finally I lost myself. I just gave up to fight against evil and insanity inside of me anymore. And what I did after it." He shook his head again. "I know it was rather crazy and I can't offer anything as an excuse, but I just hope that you can understand it a little bit and that you can forgive me."  
  
"I've already told you, that I do." Phoebe explained firmly. "I know that you'd like to undo it. But you know, I can understand you a little bit better now. I mean, it isn't so easy to give up, when the other one doesn't want anymore, but you are convinced that the relationship can work, if you only try and believe in it. I wasn't fair to you." Phoebe looked at him. "But you also have to understand me, I was sure, that a clear cut is the only possibility for me. I was too afraid of my feelings for you and that you could hurt me again. I didn't want to expose my sisters to danger anymore, because of my love for you, I couldn't take the risk again. So I didn't dare to give you another chance. And only the imagination to loose you to evil again, was unbearable to me."  
  
"Yes you've decided that it's my nature and that I can't do anything against it. Although I've never decided for evil voluntary." Cole told her. He remembered when she had told him selfsatisfied, that he would never be able to resist evil, no matter how hard he tried. Damn it, he cursed himself, he would have liked to show her that she was wrong. "Well it happened as you wanted. You can congratulate yourself on being right." He said frustrated.  
  
"I've never wanted that and you know it. Although I was convinced that I was right and that I was over you, it hurt to have to stand by and see it happening. And actually I was wrong and well, .... let us stop, okay?"  
  
They watched the sea again and both hung onto their memories. Phoebe knew, that she had let Cole down, that she wasn't fair to him, when he came back. Instead of helping him to do good and to fight against the evil inside of him, she brought him to the point and watched silently when evil took possession of him again. She had just waited to see him failing. Because if he had been able to resist his demonic powers, she would have given up on their love without any reason.  
  
But Cole and his demonic powers hadn't been the only problem. She also didn't trust herself, he meant the world for her and she even became evil to be together with him. She had sworn herself, that she would never feel so much for anybody else ever again. But she had to admit, that she had pushed her blame onto him. It had been so easy, but it was her own decision to believe the imploring speech of the seer. She shook her head, today she knew that she was strong enough to act in a different way to remain true to herself.  
  
And to her own surprise, suddenly she was absolutely sure relating to Cole. Her worries about him in the last days and to see him here and everything was alright with him, dispelled her doubts. When she was sitting beside him now, she was absolutely sure, that he had nothing to do with the demonic crowd in front of the cave, how could she have ever taken it into consideration, she wondered.  
  
"We can't change the past." Phoebe broke the silence. "Although we both would like it, but it's all over." She saw his sceptical look and asked surprised. "That can't mean, that you don't want to try it again, can it?"  
  
Cole laughed and looked at her disbelieving. "What are you thinking? I want you, I always wanted you and I know that will never change. You can't have any doubts about that." He looked at the sea and added. "But I don't know if it will work."  
  
She stared at him astonished, she has never thought that he would ever think anything like that, therefore she said convinced. "Of course it will work this time, we only have to believe in it."  
  
"And do you?"  
  
Phoebe still heard some skepticism in his intonation, therefore she nodded convinced. "Yes, I do."  
  
"But how long? Until I'll act strangly in your eyes or until I'll take a wrong decission in your point of view?" He asked grimly.  
  
"No, of course not. I know it was never easy for you in the past, too. We've condemned you too soon. But I promise you that I won't do that again, we just have to be honest to each other."  
  
Cole was silent for a while, then he said. "I don't want that we hurt each other once again, for this I love you too much."  
  
Phoebe looked at him and couldn't believe her ears. "It never entered my head, that you'd ever doubt that we belong together. You were always convinced that only you can make me happy."  
  
"Well I'm still convinced about it, but the problem is..." He looked at her attentively. "You aren't."  
  
"That's wrong, I am."  
  
"Are you so sure about it?" He asked sceptically.  
  
"Of course, why do you doubt about it?"  
  
"Mm, because you do it. I've seen your expression, when you thought that I formed an alliance with the demons to set a trap for you."  
  
Phoebe turned her face and said in excuse. "Well you know, I ..."  
  
"I know that you're sorry about it now, but you can't prevent it. You'll always doubt me, if a demon is near to me. And I just can't bear that."  
  
"Do you trust yourself?" She asked carefully.  
  
Cole glanced at her offended. "Of course I do." When she didn't say anything else, he continued angrily. "And you're dying to know, why Selgrin gave me my memory back, you only don't dare to ask me."  
  
"Okay, why?" Phoebe replied, after he had broached this topic, she finally wanted to know it.  
  
"He thought that you've erased my memory, so that I can't remember my wonderful time as a demon. He was convinced that I'd come back to them immediately, if I knew again, who I really was."  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "What a fool, but why did he know that you've lost your memory?"  
  
"Partas told him, that I would have never helped him, if I had been able to remember. The stupid thing is, that I really can't remember Partas, perhaps he was wrong." Cole told her thoughtfully. "But as I already told you, most memories about my time in the underworld are still dim."  
  
"But that's good, isn't it? If you want it, then Leo can manage that you'll forget everything again." Phoebe told him.  
  
"No!" He looked at her astonished and easily irritated. "No thanks, that's my life and I can handle it. Everything makes sense now and that's okay."  
  
Phoebe nodded. "I thought as much."  
  
"And what do you think? Would you prefer, if I couldn't remember again?" Cole asked and looked at her interested.  
  
"Well, that's hard to say." Phoebe explained and looked him deep into the eyes. "No," she finally said and smiled. "I love you as you are."  
  
"Oh, really? Since when?" Cole asked with a soft smile.  
  
"Always!" Phoebe said resolutely and hugged him.  
  
"If I could only believe it." Cole muttered and put his arms around her.  
  
"You have to believe it, Cole." She looked up and said. "I need you just as you need me. I've suppressed it for a while, but it's the truth." She laid her head against his shoulder and continued. "We'll manage it, just believe me, finally you brought myself to promise you, that I won't let you down ever again. And I'll keep this promise." She said convinced and sighed. "But nevertheless I hope that the demons don't want anything of you anymore."  
  
"Don't know, if they are still interested in me, but I don't think so. Because I'm just a wretched mortal, as Partas has said. So they won't care about me anymore." He was silent for a while. "But what will happen, if I'm together with you? They'll be bound to cross my way and we both don't know, what will happen then." He said thoughtfully and added. "I don't have the slightest interest, that you'll always have to protect me."  
  
"We'll manage that." Phoebe tried to calm him down.  
  
"Well I don't have any doubts about that, although I wonder how you'll bring Paige and Piper to do it. But beside that, I'd hate it." He stated firmly.  
  
Phoebe couldn't help laughing. "Oh, I see, that's the problem."  
  
Cole groaned. "You know, that isn't the only one. When I'm together with you, I always notice that I'm powerless now."  
  
Just before they could go on talking about it, Phoebe heard her pager. That meant, that her sisters needed her help, or did they think that she would have any problems? She turned to Cole and asked. "Can I use your phone?"  
  
"Of course, it's in the apartment." Cole stood up and they went to the entrance into the building. Like Phoebe already knew, Cole's apartment was at the first floor. He unlocked the door and showed her the phone, which was hanging at the wall.  
  
Phoebe dialed Piper's number and listened attentively, what her sister told her. Then she asked "I can be back in an hour or so, is that early enough?" She listened for the answer and said. "Okay, I'll be there." She hung up and looked at Cole, who looked back curiously.  
  
"What was so important?" He asked and added with a smile. "Now you can tell me everything again."  
  
"Yes, okay, we have to go to Canterro once again." She hesitated for a moment, but then she asked spontaneous. "Do you want to come with me?"  
  
Cole pointed at himself in surprise. "Me? You ask me to come with you?"  
  
"Yes, or do you see anybody else here?" Phoebe looked around, but couldn't find anybody else.  
  
"What are you up to now?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing, I'm up to nothing. I just asked you, if you want to come with me, but if you don't want ..." She turned around and wanted to go to the door.  
  
Cole followed her to stop her. "Wait, if you ask me like this, of course I want to see how you'll tear Canterro to pieces. But let me change my clothes, first." He looked at his pullover. "They were getting wet from the waves."  
  
He disappeared in the other room and Phoebe stayed in front of the door thoughtfully. What gave her the idea to ask him, she wondered. Her sisters wouldn't be pleased about his presence. But now she couldn't undo it and she didn't want it. Probably he even could help them, she thought and looked to the bedroom. She saw him coming back and suddenly it occurred to her. "Do you still have the athame?"  
  
Cole put his hand in the pocket of his jacket and found it there. "Yes, here it is." He looked at Phoebe asking. "Do you think that I'm still able to see magic, although I can remember again?"  
  
Phoebe nodded confident. "Yes, I don't think that it has changed."  
  
They entered the corridor and Cole locked up his door. Then they went into the foyer and Cole went to the receptionist to hand in his key.  
  
Phoebe looked around and noticed that the hall was empty and the receptionist watched every newcomer attentively at this time of day. Phoebe was glad that she had arrived earlier, so that she had had the chance to look for Cole. When Cole came towards her, they left the building. 


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47  
  
While Phoebe and Cole were on their way back to San Francisco, he suddenly said. "It's really a pity, that I can't shimmer us there, like I could once." But when he saw her horrified look, he added. "But don't worry, I'm not longing so much for my demonic powers that I want to bear the consequences."  
  
"Hopefully." Phoebe said coldly.  
  
Cole didn't care about it and tried to explain. "Well I confess that it was tempting to have so much power, it can go to your head and it's difficult to resist. But it didn't satisfy me, I always wanted something else." He glanced at her.  
  
"Good to know." Phoebe muttered and smiled.  
  
They were silent for a while, until Cole said. "But you know, when I didn't know that magic exists and how it was to have powers, it wasn't a problem for me to go by car or to walk for example, but now it's a nuisance."  
  
"Well you can ask above, if they need another wightlighter."  
  
"Wonderful idea, that's the perfect job for me." Cole told her sarcastically. "Although, they've also saved my life, so things look quite hopeful."  
  
"I wouldn't count on it."  
  
Cole laughed. "No, better not." He looked at her and said. "You really told me a lot of nonsense lately, didn't you?"  
  
"What do you think, I should have told you? The truth?" Phoebe asked and tried to pay her attention to the traffic on the street.  
  
"No, I probably wouldn't have believed a word." He said thoughtfully.  
  
"I'd say so, I mean, who made his jokes about my magical powers recently?"  
  
"Well sorry, but you couldn't impress me at all." Cole told her with a grin.  
  
Phoebe glanced at him angrily and had to bite her lips not to tell him, that compared to him she still had her magical powers.  
  
"But you know, it was strange, when I didn't know anything about magic anymore. And something like that happened to me!" Cole continued and shook his head. "Even now I'm still sceptical about everything supernatural. That's odd."  
  
"You're telling me?"  
  
"And it wasn't difficult to be good, even for me."  
  
"Did you doubt about it?" Phoebe asked in surprise.  
  
"Well you didn't?" Cole looked at her from aside.  
  
"No, of course not."  
  
"Oh that sounded different not long ago." He said.  
  
"You can't say that it was recently and you know, how I meant it."  
  
"No, not really. I always thought that I need our love, you, to protect myself against evil." He admitted and looked through the window thoughtfully.  
  
"And that was your fault." Phoebe stated.  
  
"No, this time it was different. There was no reason for getting evil. The occasion to get evil is rather ... limited for mortals, I mean it wasn't difficult."  
  
"That's it, that's your answer."  
  
Cole thought about it and decided to stop it here. They were silent for a while and Cole decided to change the subject. "So what do you want from Canterro again?"  
  
"When we've destroyed Canterro's flower of stone, we have also destroyed it's power." Phoebe began to explain, what Piper had told her. "Now Leo found out, that protective amulets, which used the power of the stone flower have lost it's effect. They can't protect their owners anymore. That's a dangerous situation for them, because they count on their amulets. And we have caused this situation."  
  
"But you had no choice, you had to destroy it to stop the blocking."  
  
She darted him a thankful look. "Yes, I know, but now we have to try to return the power to the stone symbol."  
  
"And how can you do that? You don't even know, where it is." Cole asked sceptically.  
  
"We suppose that it's in Canterro's house in San Francisco. Luckily Paige had made a copy of the plan in the cave in the underworld. It shows the way to the stone flower. Probably we just have to take it back to the cave. We should have done that immediately, the cave was so sad."  
  
Cole looked at her irritated. "So the cave was sad." He stated and it was obvious what he thought about this discovery.  
  
"Yes it was!" Phoebe told him angrily. "You should have been there, then you'd understand it. The atmosphere was depressing and the rock face had cried."  
  
"Well in that case, it's obvious that you have to help." Cole said ironically, but when he noticed that Phoebe was deadly serious about it, he tried hard to stifle laughing and changed the subject. "And what's about Canterro's demons? Does he still have control about them?"  
  
"Well Canterro's stone symbol still has it's power." Phoebe explained with a sigh. "And Meagan Canterro still has her amulet and it's possible that Jared Canterro has Michael Deacon's amulet. That means that they still have some demons under their control. But we'll manage it." She stated confident.  
  
"Of course, you've already defeated completely different opponents." Cole said dryly.  
  
When they arrived in front of Canterro's house, Piper was already waiting at the street. Phoebe parked the car and got off. She walked to her sister and Cole followed her slowly. Piper observed the house attentively, therefore she just noticed her sister, when she was standing beside her.  
  
"Hey Piper." Phoebe said. "Here I am. Where is Paige?" She looked around attentively.  
  
"She'll come a little bit later." Piper explained and didn't turn her eyes from the building. "It's very quiet there. If we are lucky, nobody will be at home."  
  
"Do you really think so?" Phoebe asked sceptically. "Do you think they are in their house at the countryside?"  
  
"That's possible, I've seen a car coming through the gate, so somebody has left the house. Therefore I think we should try to get in there immediately." She put out the plan, Paige had drawn in the cave and showed Phoebe the way. "We've to get into this room and take the flower of stone with us to the manor."  
  
"Without Paige?" Phoebe asked skeptically.  
  
Piper shrugged her shoulders. "She is on her way. I think one of us should ring the bell and ask if Mrs. or Mr. Canterro are at home. If that isn't the case, Paige will orb us into the house and we'll try to get into this room inconspicuously. The only problem will be the way back home. We can't orb with the stone symbol, so we'll have to carry it and take the car to get home."  
  
This fact suited Phoebe fine. "Okay," She explained. "Luckily I've taken someone along for carrying." She pointed at Cole, who was standing behind her.  
  
"Oh, hello." Piper let out and gave Phoebe a look, which showed her what Piper thought about this help.  
  
Cole greeted her and didn't care about Pipers enthusiasm. "Don't you think Canterro has protected this room?"  
  
"That's possible, but we've no choice. We have to bring the stone flower back into the cave. We need their protective power."  
  
Shortly later Paige appeared. "So I think this activity will spoil my Saturday evening again, won't it?" She asked disappointed and stepped beside her sisters, then her eyes fell on Cole. "And what do you want here?" She asked surprised.  
  
"I just found out, that I'm here for carrying." He told her dryly.  
  
Paige turned to Piper and said. "Well I think we should try to orb it, otherwise it's too complicated."  
  
"But Leo told me, that it isn't possible." Piper replied.  
  
"Okay, nevertheless I don't understand why we need Cole for this. Finally the last time he lured us into a trap."  
  
"Without my help you'd still wander around like a lost soul in the labyrinth." Cole remembered her.  
  
"Well I dare to doubt it." Paige said. "We would have found the way without your help."  
  
"Well I dare to doubt that." Cole replied satisfied.  
  
"In any case, one of us will have to ring there, otherwise we won't make any progress." Piper said and looked at the others. "I think I should do it. If they are at home, I'll have an excuse. I mean, I've been there together with Darryl before."  
  
Her sisters nodded and Piper walked to the gate. After she had rang the bell, nobody opened the door, she just heard a voice from the intercom system. Somebody told her, that Mr. and Mrs. Canterro weren't at home. Piper nodded and went back to her sisters.  
  
"They aren't at home, so come on. Let's go." She said and looked at the plan again. "I think we should start in this room." She told Paige. "I've been there with Darryl and there could be a door in the wall, where the way starts."  
  
Cole nodded. "That's right, I've been there, too and there was a secret door. Canterro and his demon assistants used it."  
  
Paige looked at the plan and orbed them into the room. Short time later they were standing in the little reception room and Paige explained relieved. "Luckily he didn't have any possibility to block magic anymore." She looked around. "Wow rather exquisite here, but not very cosy."  
  
"You're right, this sofa looks hard as rock." Phoebe agreed.  
  
"It is hard as rock." Piper told her. "But that isn't the reason why we are here." She went to the secret door and opened it carefully. She looked into the narrow corridor. It's height was only two meters and it was just half a meter wide, so only one person after another could enter it.  
  
"I think I should go first." Cole suggested with a matter-of-factness, but it was obvious, that the sisters weren't so convinced about his proposal.  
  
"Negative!" Paige said. "I've drawn the plan and therefore I'll go first, so come on." She gave her sisters a sign and entered the corridor. Cole shrugged his shoulders calmly and went last.  
  
They walked straight on and they didn't hear any noise. It seemed as if the house was completely deserted. Carefully they sneaked along the narrow passage until they arrived at a steep stairs. Paige looked at her plan again and went upstairs. When she arrived, she turned right. They followed another narrow passage, until there was another steep stairs at the end.  
  
Paige turned around and whispered "We'll be there soon. As it seems Canterro has placed the stone flower on the attic."  
  
Paige went upstairs the next steep stairs and arrived at a plain wooden door. But when she opened it carefully, a demon was already waiting for her on the other side. She cried out in horror and wanted to get rid of him by shutting the door again. But she couldn't manage it, the door got caught. And it was impossible for her sisters to help her, because it was too narrow on the stairs.  
  
The demon came towards Paige and grinned nastily, but suddenly she ducked and Piper who was standing behind her didn't waste time and blew him up.  
  
Without thinking twice they ran into the room, because they didn't want to give another demon any chance to appear behind them and to put the screws on them. It wasn't a surprise for anybody that Canterro and an alarming number of his submissive helpers were waiting for them in the big hall.  
  
But just before Phoebe could ask her sister to orb them back home, a demon hit Paige hard. She crashed against a diagonal wall and fell on the ground unconsciously.  
  
Without a moment's hesitation Piper froze the whole gathering in front of her. She breathed out in relief, when no demon could move anymore. The only person who was still able to move was to everybody's surprise Jared Canterro. But with lightning speed Cole stepped behind him and put the athame to his throat with a great satisfaction. "Don't move, otherwise ..." He warned him in a threatening voice.  
  
Meanwhile Phoebe rushed to Paige and helped her to get up. She was alright, only her rips hurt. She turned her head carefully and examined the hall. They were directly under the roof. The attic turned up the whole area of the house. The longsides were slope like the roof and Canterro had placed countless tables with candles and other ritual tools there. Opposite to the door was a huge shrine in the middle. This door was the real entrance to the hall. Compared to the small secret door, the sisters and Cole had used, the main entrance was a beautiful designed door with colored glass, through which you could see the wide stairs.  
  
The small sides of the hall were even and on one side there was another colorful glass window. The rays of the evening sun were shining into the room and gave it a peaceful atmosphere. But the other side was adorned with the flower of stone, which Canterro had stolen from the cave. It looked less imposing than it's pendant in the underworld, because just a little point in the middle of it was shining, the other parts, the bloom and the petals were gray as stone. But otherwise it was exactly the same.  
  
Piper went to Cole and Canterro, who were standing in the middle of the room, not far away from the main entrance. She took a close look at Canterro, still wondering, why he wasn't frozen like the other demons. Paige and Phoebe stepped beside her.  
  
"Now you finally know, how you feel when you are at someone's mercy." Phoebe told him with an angry smile. "It isn't a good feeling, is it?"  
  
Canterro didn't move and didn't breathe a word. But it seemed as if he wasn't in the least intimidated, because he still smiled smugly.  
  
Piper didn't care about him and reached for his neck to tear off his amulet. When she held it in her hands, she looked at it interested.  
  
"As long as you don't destroy it, he still has control over the demons." Cole told her and followed the countless shining threads which ended in the demons necks. But when he noticed Canterro's satisfied grin, he had to control himself not to press the knife any deeper to Canterro's throat.  
  
"No problem." Paige said and stepped behind one of the demons. She asked for the seal in the neck of the demon and shortly after she held it in her hand. "Ugh." She let out. "There are still some parts of his skin on it." She shuddered with disgust and held the seal with her fingertips at the remotest ends.  
  
Piper put Canterro's amulet on a table and stepped back, where Paige and Phoebe were already waiting. She turned to Cole. "Does it still work?" She asked precautionary and when he nodded the sisters said the spell they already knew from memory.  
  
Cole watched the flow of magic, it changed it's direction and flew back to the amulet. After a while the shining threads changed their color from white to blue and started to vibrate, when the power was too much, the amulet broke. Cole looked at the demons and couldn't see any magical connection anymore. "That's it, you've destroyed it." He told the sisters and to his delight Canterro couldn't suppress a cursing.  
  
Phoebe walked to him and asked innocently. "Well what do you think? Shall my sister break the freezing? I think the demons would like to take revenge."  
  
Canterro roared with laughter. "I wouldn't trust in it, young lady. They won't remember anything and I suppose they'd prefer to have their fun with some witches."  
  
Before Phoebe could give him the right answer, the door opened and Meagan Canterros and a few demons appeared. Cole noticed that Rawet was among them.  
  
When Rawet saw the frozen demons, he shook his head and broke it with a quick gesture. The demons who weren't connected with Canterro anymore, looked around astonished and to the sister's relief a part of them shimmered away immediately.  
  
"Let my husband go!" Meagan Canterro shouted at Cole, but he made no move to do it.  
  
"You've got a long wait coming!" He told her and pushed the athame as tight to Canterro's throat that a thin trickle of blood ran down his neck.  
  
Meagan cried out with outrage and set one of her demons on Cole. But it was obvious, that the demon didn't know what to do, because Canterro was standing in front of Cole. The sisters were standing behind them, so that they were standing in his way, too. The demon hesitated, because he didn't know, how he should reach Cole.  
  
It was obvious that Rawet was getting angry about this situation. He shook his head annoyed and threw an energy ball at Canterro without hesitation.  
  
Cole had expected this attack and jumped aside immediately, but it was too late for Canterro to do anything. The energy ball hit him directly in the stomach and with a last horrified look at his wife he burnt down completely.  
  
Meagan Canterro stared at Rawet in disbelieve. "What....what did you do?" She whispered with tremble in her voice and rushed to the place, where seconds before her husband was still standing. "How could you do that?" She asked excited and went into hysterics.  
  
Rawet shrugged his shoulders. "He was standing in the way." He told her calmly and suddenly he smiled nastily. "And he was in my way."  
  
Meagan flashed at him furiously. "Catch him." She shrieked at her demons.  
  
But it was obvious, that Rawet wasn't concerned about it. "That doesn't really disturb you, does it? We didn't need him. I can take up his position. You've moaned incessantly that he always wanted to be the boss, if I'm not mistaken."  
  
While he had his discussion with Meagan, Rawet beat back her demons with ease. They had nothing on him. Rawet vanquished one after another and the few remained demons, who had been under Jared Canterro's control, prefered to shimmer away, because they didn't want to tempt their fate.  
  
Finally only the furious Meagan and Rawet were left.  
  
The sisters watched them with mixed feelings. "Do you think we have to help her?" Paige asked softly.  
  
"Yes, I think so, if we like it or not." Piper said and watched them attentively. "She has no chance against him, but do we have?"  
  
"Do you know this demon?" Phoebe turned to Cole.  
  
He thought hard about it, he remembered that he knew Rawet. He was a very powerful demon, but Cole's memory was still full of gaps. There was something about Rawet, he remembered that he was standing with another demon near to Rawet and that the demon whispered something about Rawet into his ears. They both couldn't help laughing about it nastily. Cole racked his brains about it, but he couldn't think of it right now.  
  
"Nothing?" Phoebe asked disappointed.  
  
Cole looked at her in excuse, but suddenly it occurred to him. "Brackish water." He told her. "His name already refers to it. You can't kill him, but stop him for a while. Well that isn't bad for the beginning, is it?" He looked at Phoebe triumphantly. Only a few demons knew this handicap of the powerful Rawet and he took care, that they didn't stay alive any longer. And Cole knew it but he couldn't really remember who had told him about it.  
  
Paige looked at him in disbelief. "Brackish water?" She asked sceptically.  
  
Cole nodded. "Yes, simple but it works."  
  
"Where shall I get it from? We are on an attic." Phoebe looked around hopelessly.  
  
"Stale water will do it, too."  
  
Meanwhile Piper came to Meagan's aid and tried to blow up Rawet, but the demon beat back her attack easily.  
  
"Wait little witch, don't be so impatient. First I've to take care about this hysterical woman, then it's your turn. And I'll pay you my full attention." He turned to Meagan again.  
  
In the meantime Phoebe looked around for some water desperately. She didn't expect to find stale water here anywhere, but she tried her luck. Finally she saw a vase with flowers on a little table in front of the flowers of stone. She was surprised to find something like that here, finally she knew Canterro's preference for Black Magic, but probably it was a donation for the stone flower.  
  
She turned to Paige and told her. "It's worth a try, we don't have a better plan at the moment." She took the vase and tried to get to Rawet. Paige sighed and decided to help Piper to protect Meagan, while Cole had to stay in the background dissatisfied.  
  
Rawet had just thrown Meagan on the floor and walked slowly towards her with a self-satisfied grin on his face. He paid his attention to her, but he had to expect another attack from Piper anytime, therefore he didn't notice Phoebe, who tried to reach him.  
  
"I always wanted to take his place and now I'll finally manage. I'll return the power to the stone symbol and then I'' be able to rule the world. You didn't deserve it that I associated with you, you incompetent mortals. But now it's finally over." He threw an energy ball at Meagan, who was lying on the ground, just before Phoebe could hit him the vase at the back. Rawet looked at Cole horrified and then he grew stiff completely. But it was too late for Meagan Canterro, she didn't try to escape the energy ball. It hit her directly and she burnt down.  
  
"What did I tell you?" Cole asked satisfied and stepped to the statue of Rawet.  
  
"And how long will it last?" Piper asked suspiciously.  
  
Cole shrugged his shoulders. "That's asking too much, I just forgot how demanding you can be." He said offended.  
  
The sisters decided that two of them would go home to search for a spell to vanquish Rawet in the Book of Shadows. Piper agreed to stay with Cole on the attic, to look for the demon.  
  
After Paige orbed them away, Piper went to the place, where Meagan Canterro had died. She picked up the amulet, which was the only thing what remained of Meagan.  
  
"Hopefully his stiffness will last until they'll be back again with a useful spell." Cole said and broke the silence.  
  
"It'll work out alright." Piper said with a shrug and looked at the charred amulet in her hand. She showed it to Cole and asked. "Does it still work?"  
  
"No, as far as I can see it doesn't."  
  
Piper nodded and continued to examine the seal which was black now. "Then we could also have destroyed it with fire." She muttered thoughtfully.  
  
"No, that was Rawet's demonic power." Cole told her and went to one of the little shrines standing at the wall. He took a close look at the ritual tools and said finally. "Canterro really experimented with everything."  
  
Piper turned to him and asked suspiciously. "So you can remember again?"  
  
Cole glanced at her and said plain. "That's it."  
  
"And why?"  
  
"Mm, Selgrin thought that it would be good for me to remember my glorious times as a demon again." Cole looked at Piper attentively.  
  
"That's everything?" She asked with a sceptical look.  
  
"Yes, what are you thinking of?" He looked at her asking. "You just can't believe that I would ever lure you into a trap."  
  
"How shall I know that, Cole? Finally you've done a lot in the past and I wouldn't have thought you were capable." She said flat. He stepped closer, but she didn't feel any fear. Finally she still had her magical powers and he hadn't, at least she hoped so.  
  
"You can't compare that." He told her convinced. "The situation is completely different."  
  
"You've been a demon and Phoebe ditched you, do you mean that?" She looked at him angrily. "And how shall I know, that that won't happen again, that there won't come another Selgrin who will return your demonic powers to you? And then Phoebe just has to turn her back on you and the mess will start all over again."  
  
"That won't happen. She'll never turn her back on me again. And despite that nobody can give my powers back to me, and I don't want that." Cole tried to explain her rather annoyed.  
  
"Oh I heard the same about your memory, that you'd never get it back. And what did happen? And if Phoebe is in danger, you'll be delighted to take them back, I promise you. And I really don't want to go through the whole mess once again."  
  
"Goodness me Piper! Ask your husband if you don't believe me. Nobody can return my demonic powers, that's just impossible." When Cole saw Pipers sceptical look, he turned around and looked at the statue of Rawet. It seemed to him, as if he would loose slowly from his stiffness. But that could only be imagination, nevertheless he looked around for another vase, but he couldn't find one. He remembered, that he had seen a vase somewhere on their way to the attic. Without turning back to Piper again, he walked to the secret door and said. "I'll look for some water, I think we could need some supply, soon."  
  
Piper stared behind Cole, despite of everything what she thought about him, she prefered to wait together with him here. She looked carefully to the statue of Rawet and felt uneasy. She looked on the ground and saw the scattered flowers there. But when she looked up again, it seemed to her as if the demon moved again slowly. So what, she thought and breathed out slowly. If needed she could stop him with her magical powers until Cole came back with the water, that means, if he came back.  
  
Cole walked downstairs and listened carefully, but he still couldn't hear any noise in the house. He remembered vaguely that there was another vase at the end of one of the corridors. He looked around and saw it on a table in front of a window. He went to the vase and put the flowers on the table. He wished Phoebe would have stayed on the attic together with him, but the sisters had decided that Piper would have the better defense capabilities, if Rawet could free himself from the stiffness.  
  
Cole sighed and picked up the vase with some water in it. He didn't plan to stay away from the attic for a long time, although he wasn't interested in continuing his conversation with Piper and to see her cold impression again, he didn't want to leave her alone with Rawet. If something happened to her during his absence, Phoebe wouldn't forgive him and he even wouldn't forgive himself. He went back to the steep stairs and went upstairs.  
  
When he entered the attic through the secret door again, his worst fear came true. Piper tried hard to keep Rawet at arm's length. She tried to blow him up again and again and she was able to stop him less and less. Rawet smiled and approached to Piper effortless. Cole remembered that Rawet enjoyed it most to kill his opponents slowly. It gave him a lot of pleasure to see them suffering, when they know, that they were caught in his trap.  
  
Cole tried to come as close to Rawet as possible, while he hid the vase behind his back. "Hey!" He finally shouted at the demon. "Don't you want to fight against an equal opponent?"  
  
Rawet bumped Piper into one of the tables and turned to Cole. "Equal? Don't make me laugh." He let out a dry laugh. "You call yourself as equal. Do you believe, just because you could escape me in the underworld, I didn't notice that there is something wrong with your demonic powers? I feel that you aren't a demon anymore."  
  
"Are you so sure about that?" Cole asked with a crafty smile. He knew too good, that Rawet wouldn't kill him immediately. He would enjoy to see his victim suffering, that was another handicap of the powerful Rawet, Cole thought grimly. He'd only have to wait for his chance. Rawet walked to him slowly, step by step and finally threw a low energy flash at him.  
  
Cole decided not to jump out of the way, because he was afraid to pour out too much water or even draw Rawet's attention to the vase behind his back. So he just tried to stifle the pain, he felt, when the flash hit him.  
  
Rawet laughed satisfied and said. "That was just the beginning. So come on powerful demon, start to defend yourself." He stepped closer and Cole did the same. Another stronger energy flash hit him, but he knew, that he didn't have another chance and moved on. He hoped that he'd be close enough to risk to threw the vase into Rawet's direction soon.  
  
"You'll regret acquiring my little secret. I'll have a very special surprise for you." The demon told him with a self-satisfied smile.  
  
But before Rawet could throw another energy flash at Cole, Piper began to speak again. She stood up from the ground, where she had laid among the fragments of the shrine. She didn't care about the countless scratches she had gotten and looked for a good position to try to blow up Rawet again, but Cole was always in the way. But she would only have to stop Rawet moving, then she could try it again, angrily she shouted. "Hey Rawet, you still have another enemy."  
  
The demon declined and didn't stop moving. "Later." He told her, "Don't be so impatient. You'll die early enough."  
  
Cole used this diversion and rushed to the demon to throw him the vase at the chest. There wasn't a lot of water in it anymore, but it was enough to freeze Rawet again.  
  
Piper and Cole looked at each other in relief. "That was a close shave." He said.  
  
"That's true. You should look for more water, this stiffness doesn't last very long as it seems."  
  
Cole nodded and wanted to go, when he heard Piper saying. "And thanks!"  
  
He stopped and looked at her attentively, she bled from the cuts in her arm and her shoulder, but she didn't care about it. "Is everything alright?" He asked as a precaution.  
  
She nodded and said. "I'm fine."  
  
With a last look at her Cole left the room through the secret door, while Piper sat down on the ground exhausted. She examined her wounds, they weren't very deep, but they were bleeding very strong. She leaned back at the wall and decided, that she could wait until her sisters would be back on the attic.  
  
Meanwhile Paige and Phoebe had arrived on the attic of the Halliwell Manor and searched for a vanquishing spell for Rawet. They leafed through the Book of Shadows, while Leo was standing in front of them worrying about Piper.  
  
"Nothing can happen to her." Phoebe told him calmly. "Rawet is a statue right now and Cole is there, too."  
  
"Well for some of us that isn't a great relief." Paige told her dryly.  
  
"But without him we hadn't known, how we could stop the demon." Phoebe told her indignantly.  
  
"Yes and he just remembered when everybody was dead."  
  
"Everybody? Well who is everybody? I've just seen Meagan Canterro and it was her own fault that she didn't dodge Rawet's energy ball. I think she wanted to die, you really can't blame Cole for that."  
  
"Yes, okay." Paige gave in.  
  
"Rawet is a rather powerful demon." Leo interfered now. "I'm astonished that you could stop him. But I've my doubts that he'll be a statue for a long time. So see that you'll find a vanquishing spell soon."  
  
The sisters knew, that Leo was right and leafed through the book forcefully. Finally they found the right page. When they read the notes about Rawet, they knew, that it was absolutely essential to go back to Canterro's attic as soon as possible.  
  
"That's strange, I can't find anything about brackish water." Paige said thoughtfully.  
  
"It's obvious, that it isn't generally known." Phoebe said, but Paige was still sceptical.  
  
"Don't you think, we should keep him prisoner in a crystal trap until we've found the right spell?" She asked, but Phoebe shook her head strongly.  
  
"No it'll work alright without that." She looked into the book again. "We only have to adapt this spell to the facts as it's written in the book. And Leo can go to the attic to take care that everything is alright." She didn't want to use the crystals to keep Rawet prisoner. This situation would remind her of the first time when they vanquished Cole and she really couldn't bear that at the moment, especially not, when he was present, too. No, she shook her head again, definitely not. Least of all because he overreacted about the whole matter lately.  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders and left it at that, while Leo decided, that he would orb back to Piper soon, to tell her, that she wouldn't have to wait for a vanquishing spell very long anymore.  
  
After a while Cole had finally found a watering can on the window seat in the reception room of the first floor. He took it and went upstairs again. When he entered the attic, he saw Piper sitting on the ground. "Why haven't you called Leo?" He asked surprised, when he saw, that she was still bleeding from her cuts. He placed the watering can beside Rawet and walked towards her.  
  
"I don't want to call him for nothing." Piper said angrily.  
  
"Well I wouldn't call your wounds nothing." Cole said and kneeled down beside her. "Show me."  
  
"I'm fine." Piper said and pulled back her arm.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Cole said irritable and stood up again to sit down on the ground at the wall opposite to her.  
  
"I'd say, you can't blame me for that." Piper said and looked at him attentively.  
  
"Well I think I can. Finally I've helped you a lot of times and you only judge me from ... this last time."  
  
Piper already wanted to add that the time when he was the source wasn't inspiring confidence, either, when she remembered something else. "Did you really want to get rid of the powers of the source?" She asked sceptically.  
  
"Of course, but it didn't work." Cole said and stared into space.  
  
"So you would have allowed the sorcerer to get the powers of the source?" She asked surprised.  
  
"I didn't care who would get it. I wanted to get rid of it and it suited me fine that there was somebody who wanted it." Cole explained the simple facts. "I knew that otherwise Phoebe would never come back to me."  
  
"Well and then you've found another way." Piper said coldly.  
  
"No, that wasn't my idea, not then." He explained firmly and couldn't help but had to add. "It was Phoebe's decision and I didn't talk her round into doing it. I think the seer had her fingers in the pie. She persuaded her and therefore Phoebe vanquished the sorcerer.  
  
Piper was rather surprised about that, she had been convinced that Cole persuaded Phoebe to follow him to the underworld. But well she had done it because of him, only this counted here. "In any case, it wouldn't have been a pleasant imagination to have the sorcerer with the powers of the source." She finally stated.  
  
"Yes, of course, better me than somebody else." Cole explained cynical.  
  
"Didn't you think about the possibility that he could have killed you after it?"  
  
"Why should he? Finally he would have gotten, what he wanted. And even if, better he than ..." He didn't finish the sentence and it wasn't necessary. " And well, that's just by the way I have never understood, why you've had such a hardline stance. I mean all of you have made your experience, when you were possessed by evil."  
  
"Oh, you really can't compare that with you." Piper said firmly. "None of us has ever killed an innocent."  
  
"Of course not, how could I dare to compare it. It's really great for you that there had always been somebody, who had stopped you from doing it. Otherwise things would have turned out quite different." He told her angrily, but decided that it wasn't worth to discuss about it any longer. "But today that doesn't matter anymore."  
  
"Yes, that's true. Nevertheless I was surprised about it." Piper ended this subject.  
  
"Well and I never thought that you'd warn me by Phoebe that I shouldn't get involved with her again. You see, we all can be wrong."  
  
"Mm, that was addressed to Phoebe to come back to her senses." Piper explained firmly.  
  
Cole smiled "Sure, I should have known that."  
  
She looked at him searching. "But it's only Phoebe's problem, I'll keep out of it." Piper said. She worried about Phoebe and well about Cole, too. Because when they were together in the past something or someone always intervened and made life hell for all of them. But she'd make sure she wouldn't give Phoebe an advice. She just hoped that they would make a decision they both could live with.  
  
"But you'd recommend her not to try it again." Cole misinterpreted her expression, but before Piper could answer, a blue shine of light swirled into the attic and Leo appeared.  
  
When he saw his wife sitting on the ground and bleeding from countless wounds, he glanced at Cole and asked horrified, while he rushed to her. "What have you done?"  
  
"Nothing!" Cole said annoyed and rolled his eyes.  
  
Piper took Leo's hand and looked at him calming. "He hasn't done anything, it was Rawet, he could move again and attacked us, but Cole could stop him with some more water."  
  
"And why didn't you call for me?" Leo asked and began to heal her arm.  
  
"Because that are only scratches, I just have put some plasters on it." She said irritable.  
  
Leo shook his head frustrated and said. "Your sisters have found a vanquishing spell. Phoebe just has to change it a little and then they'll come back immediately."  
  
Cole stood up and went to the statue of Rawet. To be on the safe side he poured some water from the watering can over his head.  
  
Leo watched him and asked. "Why did you know that you can stop him with water? We couldn't find anything about it in the book."  
  
"Well the book isn't omniscient." Cole told him. "We demons have our own secrets and tricks. Although I just can't remember who told me about Rawet's handicap." He looked at the demon thoughtfully.  
  
"And you are sure that his stiffness will last until Paige and Phoebe are back?" Leo asked.  
  
"Yes of course, if we have enough water." Cole told him confidently.  
  
But just before they had to worry about more water, Paige and Phoebe appeared. Paige looked into Piper's direction and noticed shocked the destroyed table. "What's happened here?" She asked horrified.  
  
"Rawet resurrected for a while." Cole told her dryly. And glanced at him for one last time until he went to the others. Piper stood up from the ground, while Phoebe waved with a piece of paper.  
  
"We'll vanquish him immediately." She said with a satisfied grin. "After we used the spell, we won't have had any problems with him anymore."  
  
"Okay, then let's start." Piper said and stopped, when she saw that Paige was holding the Book of Shadows in her hands and when she looked at Phoebe she saw some candles jutting out from the pockets of her jacket. "What are you going to do with these things?" She asked her astonished.  
  
"Well we thought that it's rather impossible to transport the stone flower to the manor. So we decided to go to the cave from this place." Phoebe told her happily.  
  
Although Piper didn't know, what she should think about this idea, she decided, that it was more important to care about Rawet first. Paige put the book and Phoebe her jacket aside and they walked to Rawet. Phoebe showed them her spell and they spoke it together.  
  
First Rawet's stiffness let up and then he started to burn. When he noticed, what was happening, he gave the sisters a look of hatred. But he had no chance to do anything against his end. 


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48  
  
After the Halliwell sisters had vanquished Rawet, they turned to the stone symbol. Cole already took a close look at it. "How do you want to get it off?" He asked sceptically. "The stone symbol looked as if it's weld on to the wall."  
  
"They have probably used a spell." Leo supposed.  
  
"Can't you just ask for it Paige?" Phoebe asked her younger sister.  
  
"No, what are you thinking of? It would crash me down." Paige explained with a shake of her head.  
  
"But we have to find a way." Piper said and leafed through the book until she found the right page. She read it again, but she couldn't find any hint how to move the stone flower not to mention how to remove it from the wall. "But Canterro had found a way." She said thoughtfully.  
  
Phoebe closed her eyes and tried to remember. "I've seen that Canterro and some demons were standing in front of it and the demons have worked on the wall with .. mm .. such a demonic pressure."  
  
"Demonic pressure? What's that supposed to be?" Cole asked amused.  
  
"Well in any case they have removed the stone symbol from the wall without hammer or chisel." She told him angrily.  
  
"But unfortunately that doesn't help us Phoebe." Piper said and looked around. "Perhaps we can find something about it somewhere here." She went to a little shrine and searched for some information.  
  
While Phoebe was still standing in front of the flower and passed her hand over a single petal. She suddenly had an idea. "That's it." She said and looked at her sisters triumphantly. "The cave also wants to get back it's flower, doesn't it? So we should use it's power. We only have to combine the spell to get into the cave with the stone flower and if we do the ritual together with the flower, than it'll follow us to the cave automatically." She looked at her sisters with keen interest.  
  
Paige and Piper still looked sceptical. "Do you think that you can change the spell so that the flower will follow us?" Piper asked.  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Yes, that's no problem, I just hope that Canterro didn't use magic and holds it at the wall with force."  
  
"I don't think so." Leo said. "After you've destroyed the power of the seal, he wasn't able to use magic anymore."  
  
Phoebe sat down on the ground and put the book in front of her. She leaned over it and tried to concentrate.  
  
Meanwhile Piper and Paige estimated how they'd have to build the circle to integrate the stone flower. Luckily it stood out a little bit, so they would only have to get as close to the wall as possible. They made their preparations and short time later, Phoebe stood up again and went to her sisters with a note with the spell in her hand.  
  
"This spell will work." She said confidently to her sisters and looked back to Cole and Leo, who were standing in the middle of the hall watching their bustling activities interested. "Wish us a good journey."  
  
"You'll manage it." Leo replied optimistically, while Cole just nodded.  
  
The sisters entered the circle and began with their ritual. After they had read the spell, they waited expectantly for the familiar whirlpool. But like the first time, nothing happened in the beginning, but after a while they got caught in a maelstrom and blew away. Cole and Leo watched it fascinated, when suddenly, as if by magic, the flower of stone removed from the wall and disappeared in the whirl, too.  
  
"Well I'd say, it has worked." Cole said and looked at Leo.  
  
He nodded. "Yes and we can vanish here, too." Leo stated and picked up the Book of Shadows from the ground.  
  
"I have to go back to my holiday apartment." Cole explained Leo and looked at his watch. "There is another event this evening, but probably it's too late for me to go there. But so what, I'll come up with something."  
  
"I can take you there, if you want." Leo offered him.  
  
Short time later Leo orbed them into Cole's holiday apartment. Cole thanked him and and looked at him thoughtfully.  
  
Leo nodded and wanted to go again, when he changed his mind. He turned back to Cole and told him. "You know, that I can arrange that you'll loose your memories again."  
  
"What gives you the stupid idea that I want that?" Cole asked angrily.  
  
"It was just an offer." Leo said.  
  
"No thanks!" Cole told him firmly.  
  
Leo nodded, he had expected that, but he had wanted to ask him nevertheless. He already wanted to go without another word, but Cole stopped him.  
  
"Wait Leo, I've a question for you."  
  
Leo looked at him surprised and stayed where he was.  
  
"Why did they decide to help me. Why did they think that I deserve another chance?" Cole shook his head smiling, "I mean especially after this last time."  
  
Leo groaned. "I was also wondering about it. And finally they gave me an explanation."  
  
Cole looked at him curiously. "I'm listening."  
  
"In 1888 a young witch had a premonition. She saw a man with a little boy on his arms on a street. A woman appeared, who turned out to be a demon. She seized the boy and killed the man."  
  
Cole listened without batting an eyelid.  
  
"This witch was a ballet dancer. She was just before her first big stage performance, when she got the premonition. She persuaded herself, that she would have enough time to rescue them after the ballet. But when she went to the place after her successful performance, she saw that it was too late, her premonition had come true, she saw the marks. She had got a bad conscience, but she kept silent. She gave up her profession and in future she listened to her premonitions without any kind of diversion. She has helped countless innocents."  
  
"Very noble-minded." Cole explained sarcastically. "But a little bit late, I mean to say. Although nevertheless she went into heaven, I suppose."  
  
Cole's comments couldn't put Leo off his stroke and he continued. "She did good in her life, but her failure haunted her all her life. She couldn't get it out of her mind and finally she confessed it to her withelighter just before she died. So the elders were informed too late to interfere."  
  
Cole shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, you aren't as perfect as I always thought." He said cynical. "But so what. She would have caught me sooner or later. What's the difference?"  
  
"They could have protected you." Leo said in a serious voice.  
  
Cole shook his head. "I'd have never had a chance for a usual life. I'd have still been a half demon."  
  
"You don't know, what would have happened, at least you would have had a chance. And if you had made the right choice, a lot of innocents would still be alive."  
  
Cole didn't want to search for the right answer. This last sentence was just typical. Okay, perhaps Leo was right, nevertheless it was this damn witch, who had decided that her career was more important for her. And then she gave up on it magnanimous, unfortunately a little bit late, especially for his father and perhaps for him, too. Nevertheless he didn't want to rack his brains about it. What would have happened, if his mother hadn't got him. How should he know, if he had been strong enough to resist the demon inside of him. And nobody could know, if the innocents would have survived, finally there would have been enough other demons, who could have done his job.  
  
Cole was still lost in thoughts, when Leo added. "But it was bound to happen this way."  
  
Cole gave him an ironical look. "Oh, really?"  
  
"Yes, you know, that it was the duty of the Halliwell sisters to vanquish the source of all evil." Leo said.  
  
"Well that's nothing new to me. I experienced it first-handed." Cole remembered him with a cynical grin.  
  
"But you don't know the addition. The elders weren't pleased about it and they decided to keep it to themselves. It was obvious, that they never really believed in it."  
  
"What?" Cole asked calmly, although Leo had arisen his curiosity.  
  
"That the Charmed Ones will manage to vanquish the source only with the help of a half demon."  
  
Cole looked at Leo sceptically. "Don't say, that you mean me."  
  
"You know, that we all would have died, if you hadn't intervened."  
  
"Nobody can say that exactly." Cole said with a shrug.  
  
Leo looked at him surprised. "You never liked to understate things before, what's wrong with you?"  
  
"Even if I've helped to vanquish the old source, his powers passed over to me. It wasn't worth the effort."  
  
"But it was easier to vanquish you." Leo explained.  
  
"Thanks for the compliment, it's rather interesting to find out, what you think of me." Cole told him ironically.  
  
"You know, what I mean. If you had really wanted, it would have been easy for you to kill them. I mean, you knew everything about them. But you couldn't do it, despite everything you still had scruples or whatever it was about killing them. And therefore they had the chance to vanquish the source for good."  
  
"Yes, without any scruples." Cole said laconically.  
  
"You know, that they had to do it." Leo replied firmly.  
  
Cole shrugged his shoulders, he really didn't want to confirm it.  
  
When Leo saw, that Cole wouldn't answer, he decided that it was time to orb back to the Manor.  
  
Cole looked at the disappearing blue light and went into his bedroom to threw his jacket on his bed. He saw that the ring he had stolen from Phoebe's casket a few days ago, dropped out of the inside pocket of his jacket and rolled over the bed. Absent-minded he sat down and took it into his hands. He had tried so hard until Phoebe finally said yes to his proposal. And for what did he made such a big effort? For nothing. He sighed and threw himself onto his bed. When he had chosen the engagement ring for Phoebe, he had had other plans for their future. But things were to turn out quite different. If his dreams could still come true, after this nightmare? He wanted to believe it, but he had his doubts about it.  
  
Thoughtfully he stared at the ceiling and decided that he had to go out to get his mind onto other things. He hoped that the festival event was still going on. He stood up and went to the door, when he remembered, that he had left his key at the reception, when he had left the building together with Phoebe. Wonderful, he thought angrily, as if he wouldn't have enough problems. Life as a mortal was really difficult, he sighed and opened the window to get out of his room. In the past he was accustomed to solve all his problems with magic, but luckily his apartment was on the first floor and he hoped nobody would see him.  
  
When the Halliwell sisters arrived in the cave, they could see the stone flower flying back slowly to it's accustomed place at the wall. It combined itself with the wall and it seemed as if it would have never been away. The atmosphere in the cave changed slowly. The sadness went away and was replaced by an agreeable oscillation. But the cave didn't express the same magic yet as the cave in the underworld did.  
  
The sisters looked at the stone symbol at the wall. The stone flower gave them a great sense of power, although the blossom and the petals were still gray like stone, only a little point in the middle of it was shining brightly. That was the point, where the flower was connected to it's pendant in the underworld.  
  
Now it was up to the Halliwell sisters to revive it's magical power again, which they had stolen with their spell. They had to take care, that the stone flower could pass it's protective powers on to the amulets again. They placed two crystals in front of the symbol, so that the shining point in the middle of the bloom and the crystals formed a triangle. After that every sister stepped into the middle of a one side line and together they spoke the spell, which should direct the power of the intact stone flower in the underworld to the crystals. They stepped back and saw the connection between the shining point and the crystals and between the crystals.  
  
"It works." Phoebe said gladly and watched the magical triangle. The crystals were loaded with magic. After a while the sisters decided, that the power would last and they cut the connection, by stepping to their former position. After that they put the crystals together in front of the flower. They were shining brighter than ever before. The outermost edges of the flower and the crystals built a triangle again. Paige and Piper stepped in the middle of the side connections and Phoebe stood directly in front of the bloom. They spoke the spell again and stepped into the middle. Now they could see that the power from the crystals forced it's way to the petals. First only one of them shone in a bright light again, but after a while one petal after another was filled with magic again. Slowly the full circle of the petals was shining and spread out into the blossom. When the power from the crystals was nearly run-down, the flower was in full bloom again.  
  
The sisters looked at it enthusiastically and noticed, that the atmosphere in the cave changed again. It radiated the same magic as the cave in the underworld. Paige and Piper looked around excited about the change, even the light wasn't dim anymore, but wonderful bright and you could see the paintings at the walls clearer.  
  
"It's more beautiful than the other cave." Phoebe said reverential. She went to the flower and passed her hand over a single petal carefully. It was powerful and unique now. Suddenly she noticed, that a little piece of stone came off the petal. Phoebe held it in her hand and took a close look at it. It was shining only a little bit, but nevertheless it was wonderful. "Thanks" Phoebe whispered. She didn't want her sisters to hear her. Although she was convinced that it was a gift of the cave for her help, she knew that it sounded too crazy.  
  
Meanwhile Piper and Paige were standing in the middle of the cave. "Come on Phoebe. We have to try to leave the cave as soon as possible. If the blocking power of the flower is too strong again, we probably won't manage it anymore."  
  
Phoebe walked to her sisters with a heavy heart, she didn't want to leave the cave yet, but she knew, that it was necessary. Paige took their hands and tried to orb them at home, but nothing happened.  
  
"Oh no!" Paige moaned. "We should have thought about a way back, before we went here." She looked at her sisters helplessly, but before they had to search for a solution, a gale sprung up and blew them away. The same whirlwind, which brought them into the cave, got them out of it again.  
  
Short time later, they found themselves on the ground of Canterro's attic again. They were unharmed, but a little bit dizzy.  
  
"Well, I could never get used to this kind of transport." Paige said and tried to turn her head carefully.  
  
"But nevertheless I'm happy, that we are here again." Piper said and stood up. "I've no idea, if we had found a way to get out of it on our own."  
  
"That's it. The cave knew that we had helped it and it brought us back from where we were coming. Well it couldn't know, that we didn't want to end up in Canterro's attic again." Phoebe explained.  
  
"And therefore we'll make a quick gateway." Piper decided and stepped to Paige.  
  
When Phoebe stood beside them, too, Paige tried to orb them into the Manor. But it didn't work.  
  
"I just can't understand that." Paige said frustrated. "Where is the problem now?" She looked at her sisters asking.  
  
They looked back helplessly. "I hope, we haven't put the town under a magic blockade again." Phoebe said and went to the window.  
  
"That would be all we needed." Piper said annoyed. She looked around attentively and searched for a suitable object to check her powers. "Paige take this candelabrum there and threw it on the ground." She told her sister.  
  
"This one?" Paige asked and when Piper nodded, she threw it down.  
  
Piper used her powers and it remained in it's position. "Fortunately, no blocking of magic." Piper said in relief.  
  
Paige took the candelabrum, just before Piper let it fall again. "But what happened to my powers?" She asked angrily and tried to orb home again. To her own surprise she was standing in the Halliwall Manor seconds later and Leo, who was waiting for them looked at her surprised.  
  
He jumped up immediately and walked to her. "Paige, is everything alright? Where is Piper?"  
  
"She's fine. I just thought, that I can't orb anymore, but that was a mistake." She told Leo. "I'll go back and orb them home immediately. Don't worry, they aren't in the cave anymore, but in Canterro's house." She orbed back without further information.  
  
Leo looked behind her nonplussed, he didn't know, what he should think about her appearance.  
  
Short time later, Paige appeared at Canterro's attic again. Her sisters were already waiting impatiently for her.  
  
"At least!" Phoebe said.  
  
"I just wanted to try, if I can still orb and suddenly I was standing in the manor. I still don't understand, why I couldn't orb us the first time, when I tried it."  
  
"That doesn't matter." Piper said. "Perhaps that was an after-effect from the cave."  
  
The sisters stepped beside Paige and she tried to orb them home again but again they didn't move.  
  
"It's unbelievable." Paige said and shook her head. "It worked when I tried it alone, but together with you ..." She shrugged her shoulders.  
  
Piper looked at Phoebe sceptically. "Phoebe, do you have an idea?"  
  
"No, why on earth should I." She answered indignantly, when a thought occurred to her. She took the stone out of her pocket. "The flower of stone gave me this stone as a present." She said and didn't care about their opinion. "Perhaps it has the power to block magic." She supposed and looked at her sisters.  
  
"It's possible." Piper said and looked at the stone interested. "You should go back to the window and we'll try if it's possible to orb home without your stone."  
  
Phoebe nodded and went to the window, when she turned around, she saw her sisters disappearing in a blue light. "You are very powerful." She explained and looked at her little piece of stone, which made quite an impression on her.  
  
When Leo turned up at the attic minutes later, Phoebe had made a decision. She looked at her brother-in-law firmly. "I won't let the stone here, if you want to make me this suggestion."  
  
Leo looked at her unhappily. "Well we can try it, but after everything your sisters have told me, I won't be able to orb you home."  
  
Phoebe walked to him and they tried it. But as both had expected, it didn't work.  
  
"This stone is really powerful." Leo explained.  
  
"I know." Phoebe said. "And therefore I won't give it away. I'll take it with me, no matter if that means, that I'll have to walk home."  
  
Leo sighed, but he knew, that he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it. "Okay, but I'll accompany you." He told her.  
  
Phoebe nodded and went to the secret door. She opened it and they went downstairs carefully. They didn't hear any noise and they arrived in the reception room without a hitch.  
  
"I think the only problem is to get out of the house." Phoebe said. "If one of the domestics sees us, he'll think that we are involved in the disappearance of the Canterros."  
  
"Are you sure, that you'll risk that for this stone?" Leo asked again.  
  
"Yes, I am!" Phoebe said firmly and opened the door just a bit, before Leo could stop her. She saw an empty entrance hall. There was a wide stairs at the right side and the front door on the left side. There were two other doors straight on, one of them was open. Phoebe feared that some domestics would stay there. She listened, but she didn't hear a noise.  
  
"Perhaps Canterro gave his stuff a day off." Phoebe supposed, when she closed the door again carefully. "And someone must have gone away by car, that Piper had seen coming from this site."  
  
"Probably it was Meagan Canterro."  
  
"No, why should she go by car, finally she had her demons to shimmer her around." Phoebe went to the window and looked for the garage. "The door of the garage is still open. And I can't see a car." She said confidently, when Leo stepped beside her. "I suppose, that they went shopping for the Canterro's or something like that, but they aren't here at the moment."  
  
Phoebe went back to the door and opened it again. But this time she sneaked out of the room and entered the hall. Leo sighed and followed her. It was silent in the house and they tiptoed to the door carefully. When they arrived in front of it, Phoebe looked at the lock, but she couldn't find a key. She hoped that she wouldn't start the alarming bell, if she opened the door. She just wanted to try, when Leo stopped her.  
  
"Wait," he whispered. "When we were searching for Deacon, he was coming out of this door and Canterro had pushed a button to open the gate to the street." He told her. He looked around and saw a little switchboard in front of him.  
  
Phoebe's eyes fell on the three switches, too. "But which one is the right one?" She asked doubtfully and passed her hand over every single switch. But she couldn't bring herself to try one of them.  
  
Suddenly they heard a noise from the room with the open door. Phoebe opened the door forcefully and breathed in relief, when she could open it without any problem. She gave Leo a sign to stay in the hall and rushed to the closed gate. She turned back and looked to the house attentively. She hoped that nobody would watch her through one of the windows. She looked back to Leo and tried to give him a sign to check every single switch. Meanwhile Phoebe looked at the gate and hoped that it would open soon. But if she heard an alarming bell, she would run into the garden on the left side, she decided. She knew, that Leo's position was more dangerous, but he'd have the possibility to orb away, if somebody noticed him.  
  
Leo pushed the first switch, but nothing happened. Phoebe looked back at Leo and shook her head. He tried the next one and Phoebe already wanted to shake her head again, when she heard a soft click. The gate started to open slowly. She gave Leo a sign and he nodded and closed the door carefully. He could just orb away, before somebody entered the hall.  
  
Phoebe squeezed through the gate in the first best moment. Behind her she heard, that somebody opened the door. But luckily she was already standing on the street and ran to her car. She was sure, that nobody had seen her, but obviously the domestic would notice the open gate. Phoebe entered her car without wasting any time. She ducked and watched into her outside rearview mirror. She saw a man coming through the gate onto the street. He looked around attentively, but he couldn't see anything and went back. Phoebe waited for a while and when nobody appeared again, she finally drove home.  
  
A/N: You just have to wait for one last chapter. I think I can post it next weekend. I really would be glad, if you read it. Then I can tell you, why I wrote it the way I did. 


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49  
  
Next morning when the phone was ringing, it was Cole, who wanted to find out, if everything was alright.  
  
"Yes, everything went like clockwork. The flower of stone is back at it's place in the cave and Leo had told us, that the protective amulets took up their duties again." Phoebe told him. "There was just a little problem, when we thought that we couldn't leave the cave, but luckily the cave sent us back onto Canterro's attic."  
  
"Well better at Canterro's than locked up in a sad cave." Cole told her.  
  
"If you believe it or not, when we've left the cave, it was happy again." Phoebe replied firmly.  
  
"That's great, another feat of the Charmed Ones." Cole said amused.  
  
"Yes that's true." Phoebe agreed and felt that it was wonderful to talk openly with him about her life again.  
  
"Listen, I have to go to another event now, but I'll be back in town this evening." Cole explained. "I wanted to ask you, if we could meet this evening." He couldn't wait to get her answer. He had thought about Phoebe and himself during the last days. In the past the only sense of a mortal life was to be together with Phoebe. Because despite of everything what had happened in the past, he had always known, that their love could only survive when both of them were good.  
  
But the fact that he had led a usual life the last year, had changed it a little. He found out, that a mortal life could have it's attraction, too. He liked his work and he had friends and he could handle, that he hadn't any demonical powers anymore, at least he hoped that he could cope with it.  
  
Nevertheless he knew, that he could only be really lucky, when he was together with Phoebe. So why should he be so stupid and say no, if she gave him another chance. He couldn't waste any time, finally he was mortal now. And he wasn't the sort of person, who didn't want to take risks. No, it was the exact opposite, he loved to take risks. Although he hoped that it wouldn't be a risk. He was sure that both of them had learnt and he knew that it would work this time.  
  
"This evening already ?" Phoebe asked thoughtfully.  
  
"If you still need some time, it's okay." Cole answered quickly and tried not to sound too disappointed. "I just thought, because I have to hand over the article this afternoon and then I'll have some time, but if you don't ...."  
  
"No, no, it's okay, I'll get it done in the meantime." She said.  
  
"What will you get done?" Cole asked confused.  
  
"Nothing! Leave it to me. It's a surprise." She said blithely. "So when and where?"  
  
After they agreed on the time, when Cole should come for Phoebe, they said goodbye. Phoebe hang up and looked at the watch with a lucky smile. She was convinced that she would find an open shop today. She went to her sisters and told them, that she had to go.  
  
"Don't you want to have breakfast first?" Piper asked, but Phoebe shook her head. "I'll buy something on my way." She explained, took her jacket and left the house.  
  
When Phoebe came to the part of the town, where the tourists buy their souvenirs and residents enjoy to go for a stroll at the week-end, she looked for a parking space and got off her car.  
  
When she arrived in one of the streets with countless little shops, she searched for a shop with jewelry. She entered the first one, but she didn't succeed. She tried it in the next one, but they also couldn't help her. Then she entered the third shop. It was a small shop with quite a lot of wrought-iron works and other things. It was crammed full and Phoebe had to search until she finally found the cash desk. She went to it and a man came from behind a curtain, who turned out to be the owner of the shop. Phoebe offered her request and the man nodded and told her, that that won't be a problem.  
  
"Really?" She looked at him enthusiastically. "And when will it be ready?"  
  
"You can come for it at one o'clock." He told her.  
  
Phoebe left the shop satisfied and searched for a little cafe to make up for her skipped breakfast.  
  
When she arrived at home in the afternoon, she found Piper and Leo in the living room. She entered the room and with a grin she picked up the wooden bowl from the table. Then she turned around to Piper. "Try to freeze the bowl." She asked her.  
  
"What? Why?" Piper asked bored.  
  
"Don't ask, just do it." Phoebe ordered her sister.  
  
Piper sighed and did Phoebe the favor, but the bowl fell down.  
  
"It's great, isn't it?" Phoebe asked enthusiastically and picked up the bowl from the ground. Then she stepped beside the cupboard and touched it with her hand. "And now try to blow up the cupboard."  
  
"What? Have you gone mad?" Piper asked angrily. "I won't do that, definitely not."  
  
"Don't be so boring, nothing will happen." Phoebe put her hand on her neck and showed them her necklace. It was a leather ribbon with a pendant, which turned out to be the piece of stone from the stone flower. "I let the stone mount, so that you can wear it as an amulet." She told her sister and her brother-in-law. "And so I'm immune to all magic, it protects me."  
  
Piper stood up and walked to her. She took a close look at the amulet. "That's a great protection." She said. "Can I try it?"  
  
"Of course." Phoebe handed it to her sister, when they heard, that somebody entered the house and Paige stepped into the room short time later.  
  
"Hello!" She said. "What are you doing here?" She asked and looked at her sisters curiously.  
  
Phoebe looked around and picked up a journal lying on the table. She gave it to Piper and turned around to Paige. "Paige try to ask for the journal, Piper holds in her hands." When she noticed, that Paige didn't understand, what to do, Phoebe added. "With your magical power of course."  
  
Paige looked at her sceptically, but then she did, what Phoebe had asked for. "Journal." She ordered, but nothing happened.  
  
Phoebe showed Paige the amulet and looked around triumphantly. "It's great, isn't it!"  
  
"Of course." Piper said. "But did you already notice, that you can't use your magical powers, when you wear this amulet?" She looked around and Paige understood, what Piper wanted to say. She took the wooden bowl from the table and dropped it. Piper tried to freeze it pointed, but the bowl crashed on the ground.  
  
"I know, that you can't use magic, when you wear it." Phoebe said indignantly.  
  
"Okay, so when do you want to wear it?" Piper asked and Leo added.  
  
"It's obvious, that it's a great protection, but you can't get any premonitions for example and no spell will work, when you wear it."  
  
"But that isn't the point." Phoebe said shaking her head. "The amulet isn't for me." She couldn't understand why they didn't know, what she wanted it for. "I want to give it to Cole."  
  
"Oh, I see. We should have known that." Piper said and gave the amulet back to Phoebe.  
  
"Yes, that's the solution, I was looking for." Phoebe explained satisfied and took the amulet. "No demon will be able to harm him ever again." She looked at the stone in her hand thankfully. "I'll never have to be worried that he'll step in front of me to protect me from a demon."  
  
"Well and he also can't use any demonical powers, that's very helpful, too." Paige said cynically.  
  
Phoebe looked at her angrily. "I know, that he won't do that ever again. And even if, I wouldn't have any problems with it anymore." She explained coldly, but she had to admit, that unfortunately Paige wasn't completely wrong. She had always trusted the human Cole, she trusted him completely and when he would wear the amulet, she would always know, that it was Cole without any demonical influence. She would know, from the first moment, if something was wrong. Because she had to confess, that she didn't succeed in the past to see when he was getting evil again. Either she didn't notice it, or she had imputed it to him wrongly. And she didn't know, what was worse. She looked at the stone gratefully.  
  
"Are you sure that he'll wear it?" Piper asked sceptically.  
  
"Of course, why shouldn't he?" Phoebe asked surprised and looked at the others asking, but none of them wanted to answer.  
  
When it was ringing at the door in the evening, Phoebe was the only person, who was at home. She went to the door and was glad to see Cole. "Come in for a while, I want to talk to you first." She said and went to the living room.  
  
"The others aren't at home?" Cole asked and looked around.  
  
"No, we are alone." Phoebe told him. "Paige is out and Leo and Piper will meet their son."  
  
Cole stopped and looked at her astonished. "One moment, their son? Since when do they have a son?"  
  
Phoebe turned around and looked at him surprised. "Cole I thought, you already remember again. Piper had been pregnant, when you had been around here. You can't tell me, that you hadn't noticed that." She told him sarcastically.  
  
After thinking about it, Cole shook his head. "Okay, it may be possible, nevertheless I just forgot it."  
  
"Or you repressed it." Phoebe said shaking her head.  
  
"Well I didn't care about Piper that time, I was busy with other things."  
  
"You're telling me?" Phoebe asked, but she didn't want this to spoil her night. "He is exposed to too much demonical hectic and therefore they decided to send him to a safe place for holiday. And tomorrow he'll come back home."  
  
"Mm, I'm glad to hear that for them." Cole said thoughtfully and followed Phoebe into the living-room. She gave him a sign to sit down beside her on the sofa.  
  
Cole sat down and looked curiously, when Phoebe took out the amulet. "That's for you." She said and handed it over to him.  
  
Cole took it and had a close look at the amulet. He saw a mounted stone on a leather ribbon. For him the stone was shining from inside. "What's that?" He asked and looked up.  
  
"It's a present from the cave." Phoebe explained and when she saw his amused look, she added. "You can make your jokes about it, but I know for sure, that I got it out of gratitude for our help. It's a little piece of the flower of stone."  
  
"And why do you want to give it to me?" Cole asked surprised.  
  
"Because it's for you. It can block magic, all kind of magic. And when you wear it, no demon will be able to do anything to you anymore."  
  
"But then you should wear it." Cole said and wanted to give it back to her. "Despite everything, I'm sure, that you are exposed to more danger, than I am. I would be glad, if you were safe."  
  
"I know." Phoebe said softly and smiled. "But I couldn't use magic with this amulet. I wouldn't get any premonitions, no spell would work and so on."  
  
"But you could take it off before you want to use magic." Cole suggested.  
  
"You know that I don't know, when I'll get a premonition. I'm a witch and it would restrict me too much." Phoebe explained. "I want you to wear it. Then you won't fall under demon's sway ever again."  
  
Cole looked at her suspiciously. "Oh, I understand. You can only trust me, when I wear this ... thing." He said angrily and looked at the amulet disgusted, he'd love to just threw it away.  
  
But it seemed as if Phoebe suspected something like that, she took his hands and looked at him forcefully. "No, of course not, you got me wrong. Please understand me, I trust you, completely and when you wear this amulet, I can be sure, that it's really you."  
  
He looked at her still furious. But slowly his features eased off and he tried to convince her. "I swear you, I won't harm you ever again and I won't hide anything from you. I don't need this amulet for that, just trust me."  
  
"I do, I really do. You can wear it whenever you want. But it should be for your protection, just understand that." Phoebe tried to explain.  
  
Cole shook his head. "Don't worry, no demon will cross my way ever again. They won't find me."  
  
"But they'll cross ours and I don't want to get a heart attack, because you want to threw yourself in front of me to protect me from a demon attack." She explained calmly. "And you know just as well, that you'd do that."  
  
Cole shook his head with a smile. "And you want to tell me, that you can even block energy balls with it?" He asked and looked at the amulet suddenly with more enthusiasm.  
  
"Yes, every kind of magic." Phoebe told him.  
  
"So I'll be able to protect you, if I want to and if I'm near to you, this blocking will have an effect on you, too?" He asked thoughtfully and slowly he started to like this idea.  
  
Phoebe raised her hands. "No, Cole, that wasn't my intention. You'll let me fight, if we are in such a situation."  
  
"But you couldn't stop me, could you?" He asked with a grin.  
  
"No, but this blocking doesn't mean, that the demon couldn't attack you with a usual knife or weapon, or whatever. It only has an effect on supernatural powers."  
  
"Mm," Cole told her satisfied. "I'll manage that."  
  
"So you want to have it?" Phoebe asked gladly and took the necklace in her hands.  
  
"Okay I can try it." He told her with a smile and allowed her to put the amulet on his neck. "I don't feel anything." Cole said after a while and looked surprised, as if he was waiting for an effect.  
  
"No, why on earth should you?" Phoebe asked confused.  
  
"Well I thought that I finally could free myself from your love spell." He told her grinning.  
  
"Did you think I have to use anything like that?" She asked and leaned forward to kiss him. "I can manage it without magic."  
  
"Unfortunately that's very true." Cole said and looked deep into her eyes. Then he put his hand into a hid pocket and said. "But as luck would have it, I've a present for you, too." He gave her a little box.  
  
"What is it?" Phoebe asked surprised.  
  
"Just open it." Cole said and Phoebe opened the box. Inside of it, she saw her former engagement ring hanging at a necklace. She looked up and stared at him surprised. "Where did you find it?"  
  
"I've seen it in the casket where you stored up our photos." He glanced at her thoughtfully and hoped, she wouldn't go on asking.  
  
"I couldn't threw everything away." Phoebe explained with a sigh. She didn't care, why he had the ring, but continued. "But it was placed out of my sight at the edge right at the back of my wardrobe, you can believe me."  
  
"I have no doubt whatsoever." Cole told her with a sad smile. "I took the ring, because I thought I'd remember something." He explained.  
  
Phoebe looked at the ring. "I haven't put the casket aside yet, therefore I didn't notice." She said thoughtfully.  
  
"Sorry, that I took it, but today I'll give it back to you." He stated and looked deep into her eyes. "I'm no fool, I won't ask you to marry me, today. Well and I still remember too good how difficult it was until you said yes."  
  
Phoebe had to smile, when she thought back to this time. She didn't make it easy for him. "Yes I know and you didn't get much out of it nor did I."  
  
"No, unfortunately not. But it would mean a lot to me, if you wore it maybe first just around your neck. You can well imagine, that I had another future for us in my mind, when I chose it for you. But things were to turn out quite differently."  
  
"I know." Phoebe said and handed the necklace over to him to put it on her neck. "I wished we could turn back time and make a fresh start from the moment when you gave it to me. But unfortunately it's too late now to do anything about it." She looked at him thoughtfully. "But we can pretend that everything what happened in the meantime, didn't happen." She stated firmly. "We just have to forget this terrible time. We don't need to remember this sheer hell ever again."  
  
Without another word, Phoebe stood up resolutely and pulled Cole up, too. When they were standing, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Then she leaned back a little to look into his eyes. "I don't know, what I would have done, if you didn't return to me. My life was so empty without you, although I would have never confessed it. I've tried to convince myself and all people around me, that I was over you, that our love and everything with you was a mistake, but that was a lie, a terrible lie. Today I know that and well I always knew it."  
  
Cole had already given up hope to hear something like that ever again and he smiled satisfied. "Well strictly speaking, I always knew that, but you were rather convincing. You have to hand it to you."  
  
She looked at him seriously. "I love you, Cole, and I'll never doubt about it ever again and I'll do everything for it, I promise you."  
  
"You know I love you, too. And I'll never disappoint you again, that's what I promise you."  
  
They looked at each other overjoyed and their lips found each other to a neverending kiss.  
  
When they finally freed from each other, they went to the hallway and Phoebe stopped in front of the stairs. She smiled and asked crafty. "Do we really want to go out tonight? Well finally we are alone, we have the whole house at our disposal."  
  
"Well I think we should seize this opportunity." Cole stated with a satisfied grin and took Phoebe by the hand to pull her upstairs into her room.  
  
The end  
  
Okay, that's my Happy End.  
  
Now to Cole's powers. Well I thought about giving them back to him, but I think it would cause too much troubles at the moment. If Phoebe and Cole are closer together again, then it would be quite interesting. But that would be another story, so at the moment I choose the solution with the stone.  
  
I want to thank everybody who read my story and a special thank to those you reviewed me. The reviews helped me a lot because I had my doubts that I would really translate all my story, but I did. And thank you to Charmed Snow and Svata 2004, who read all chapters. I hope you enjoyed to read this story and please tell me, what you think about it. Thank you!!! 


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